The numbers speak for themselves: Women make up only 2.6% of the people employed by the construction industry. And in a 200-plus-person survey, almost a third of women who work in trades claimed they'd been subjected to 'high levels of harassment.'

The tide might be turning, however. A documentary called "Hard Hatted Woman"—about tradeswomen and the obstacles they face—cleared its Kickstarter campaign and has already received quite a bit of publicity. The ninth-annual Women in Construction saw a record number of 240 attendees last week in DC, and even announced plans for a West coast-focused event.

There are several explanations why women are starting to flock to the industry, and it doesn't seem to just be a passing trend.

Education is key

It's no secret that STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, math), are among the most in-demand jobs. As more initiatives crop up to get more kids—especially girls—interested in STEM-related careers, it is likely to create a domino effect in the construction industry.

"We have to encourage girls to think about STEM fields, starting in elementary school. We have to start young," said Jodie Leeka, associate of advisory services at Deloitte. "So many girls write it off early on and don't even consider it."

The education push seems to be already paying off.

"When I graduated from the construction science and management department at Kansas State University, there were three other girls. We're already seeing that percentage rise in those programs," said Sarah Forrest, chief estimator at Hansel Phelps.

"There has been a real push to have construction companies look like the clients," she said.

'I don't want to quote Sheryl Sandburg, but..'

During the opening remarks of the Women in Construction conference, Barbara Werther, conference co-founder made a quip "not wanting to quote Sheryl Sandburg." Sandburg, chief operations officer of Facebook, wrote a book called Lean In in 2013 that urged women to go after positions of power in the workplace in order dismantle workplace sexism.

Despite 'Lean In' becoming somewhat of a cliche for feminism across industries—and hotly contested by some—the idea that women in construction need to be more proactive about what they want is a resounding theme.

"I have women in my estimating department, and when we get together for a staff meeting the table will get somewhat full, and the women will tend to stand along the periphery of the room," Forrest said. "I have to tell them 'guys! Don't exhibit with your body language that you're not an important person!' You have to find a seat at the table, literally and metaphorically."

Being proactive is typically always a smart move, but women stressed the desire to educate men on the challenges women face in order to really implement systematic change.

"It's nice to talk among ourselves about the things we want to change within construction, but if we can't engage with the majority of our co-workers to be on board with what we want to accomplish, we're only going to get so far," Leeka said.

Looking forward

Working hours in the construction industry can be rough, especially for those who work on-site. The industry can lag in retention, especially among women who decide to leave for a bit and raise children.

"There's a gap in construction—there are women who have been around for decades and then there are women who are just starting out in their career. It's that middle ground that has the biggest potential for growth," Leeka said. "The big question we should be asking is: How can we maintain women in the industry so they don't drop off later?"

As the makeup of the workforce continues to become more diverse, time is likely on the side of these crusading women.

"When you look at how many women are studying in construction-based industries, and then you look at the retiring baby boomers, the industry is going to change no matter what," said Rashida MacMurray-Abdullah, senior manager at Deloitte.

Until then, that 2.6% will keep chipping away at the proverbial glass ceiling.

"Companies need to realize that having minorities and women in their company just improves the corporate culture and the bottom line," said Barbara Werther, construction lawyer at OberKaler and co-founder of the Women in Construction Conference.