Volvo CE’s Iron Women: Addressing the Skilled Labor Shortage in Construction | Global Expansion & Training Programs
Volvo CE Launches ‘Iron Women’ Program to Tackle Skilled Labor Shortage
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is formalizing its “Iron Women” program as a global initiative aimed at addressing a critical shortage of skilled operators, technicians, and service professionals within the construction industry. The program, initially piloted in Ukraine and India, isn’t presented as a diversity initiative, but rather as a strategic business imperative to expand workforce capacity by tapping into previously underrepresented talent pools.
“No skills, no scale. It’s that simple,” stated Melker Jernberg, President of Volvo CE, emphasizing the direct link between a skilled workforce and the company’s ability to deploy its advanced technologies. “We can develop the most advanced machines…but none of it matters if there aren’t enough skilled people to deploy it.”
The roots of Iron Women trace back to 2016 with Volvo Trucks, which successfully enabled over 700 women to enter professional driving roles across ten countries. Volvo CE adapted the model in 2024, launching its first construction-focused program in Ukraine. This initiative, a collaboration with training provider ETS Group and Swedish non-profit Beredskapslyftet, is part of a larger effort to reskill 1,000 women across various industries to support Ukraine’s rebuilding efforts.
In , the program expanded to India, a high-growth market grappling with a significant skills gap. Partnering with dealer Pollutech Engineering, mining customer KCCL, and government infrastructure institute IIIC Kerala, Iron Women India offers specialized training tracks in operator certification, worksite technician training, and factory floor technician programs. Notably, the first cohort of graduates achieved 100% job placement, securing positions at customer sites and dealerships. A second group of 25 women recently completed operator training and are currently being placed in roles.
The success in India is particularly noteworthy, as highlighted by participant Laxmi Naik, who expressed initial hesitation about entering a traditionally male-dominated field. “Where I come from, women are rarely encouraged to step into roles like this,” Naik said. “But over time, the training and support helped me discover my own potential.”
Volvo CE’s move reflects a broader trend highlighted in a recent CNBC report: more women are pursuing skilled trades, driven by a combination of labor shortages and rising wages. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women represent only 3.1% of carpenters and plumbers, and 3.5% of electricians. However, these numbers are slowly increasing, with female representation among electricians rising from 1.9% two decades ago.
Jernberg emphasized that the Iron Women model is scalable, enabling faster technology adoption, increased equipment uptime, and more resilient supply chains. Volvo CE plans to expand the program into Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland throughout .
The expansion of Iron Women comes as the construction industry, and the skilled trades generally, face increasing pressure to address labor shortages. The program’s focus on practical skills training and guaranteed job placement offers a compelling model for attracting and retaining talent, particularly as younger workers increasingly consider careers in the skilled trades. Industry observers will be watching closely to see how quickly Volvo CE can scale the program and whether other manufacturers will adopt similar initiatives to address the growing skills gap.