Factors Influencing the Professional Lives of Women Civil Engineers in India: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Despite being a significant driver of India’s economic growth, the construction industry remains male-dominated, with women notably underrepresented in technical and leadership roles. Recent trends indicate a decline in female enrolment in civil engineering programs, highlighting persistent personnel, structural, and cultural barriers. Systemic obstacles still limit attraction, long-term retention, and professional advancement for women who do enter the sector. This study examines the work-related and career-related determinants of the professional life of Indian women civil engineers. A total of 19 factors were identified and categorized based on conservation of resources (COR) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT) frameworks and an extensive review of literature in the construction sector, such as work–life balance, health and safety, career advancement, decision-making involvement, and the discrepancy between career aspirations and actual workplace conditions. The study employs partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze data from a nationwide survey of 184 women professionals out of 500 questionnaires distributed. This method is used to examine hypothesized relationships among constructs and their influence on professional outcomes, such as job satisfaction, commitment, and productivity. Among the predictors, health and safety (β=0.253, p=0.003) emerged as the strongest, followed by the career aspiration–workplace reality gap (β=0.213, p=0.005), work–life balance (β=0.194, p