Founded by Zweig Group in 2019, ElevateHER® is about the future of the AEC industry. It is Zweig Group’s commitment to address the recruitment and retention crisis of our industry through the lens of DEI&B (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging), with a focus on comprehensive data and research, accessible resources, and an engaged community
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Sustainable Recruitment
& Retention Solutions
Since inception of the program, and for each of the past five years, a cohort of up to 40 AEC professionals joined forces to develop and disseminate action plans that aim to solve the recruitment and retention crisis of the industry via the lenses of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The results from each cohort are made available to the entire AEC community and are ready for turnkey implementation.
With the successful completion of the 2024 cohort’s projects, ElevateHER® proudly wraps up its milestone fifth year of programming. Looking ahead, 2025 marks the exciting start of the next phase: Implementation. As Chad Clinehens, President and CEO of Zweig Group, emphasized at the ElevateAEC Conference in September 2024, the vision has always been to see these open-source solutions widely adopted across the industry. Now, with the support of the expansive ElevateHER® network, Zweig Group is committed to advancing the projects that have been created. The coming year will be a pivotal one — a time to assess, refine, and launch sustainable go-to-market strategies that will ensure these projects achieve their intended impact on the industry.
Retention
AEC is experiencing loss of talent that outpaces our ability to replace them. Over the past five years, ten different ElevateHER projects have examined various approaches to talent retention within the industry, including returnships, mental wellness initiatives, mindset shifts, and the development of different frameworks and toolkits.
Pipeline
Building a robust talent pipeline is essential for the long-term sustainability of the AEC workforce. Seven distinct projects have centered on this goal, and developed tools such as library kits, advertising campaigns, social media frameworks, and more, all designed to spark interest in children of various ages and demographics.
Mentoring
The value of a career mentor is truly immeasurable. Over five years, annual group projects have explored this important topic, offering a meta-study on mentorship benefits, a framework for mentoring programs, mentor training resources, and more. Sign up to become a mentor or mentee and get matched in the next cycle.
Assessment & Recognition
Improvement starts with knowing where you stand. Project teams in the past came up with various ways for organizations to self-assess and track how well they are doing with their DEI&B efforts; they also developed a framework for a certification program, as well as an award, to recognize the efforts and achievements in these areas..
Other Themes
DEIB initiatives require sustained effort, strong commitment, and meaningful financial investment. One team proposed practical strategies to fund these important efforts through improved billing practices. Explore resources such as readings, podcasts, a multicultural calendar, guest speakers, career day guests, and more here.
Shop the ElevateHER® Collection
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Sponsors
Zweig Group is grateful for the generous support of our elevateHER® sponsors
