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TBCE #010: Thoughts From A Woman In Construction (Part 4)

Read time: 4 minutes

Today is the last of our 4-part Women In Construction Series here at the Balanced Construction Executive.

I am filled with so much gratitude.

I knew this idea would be fun, but I never imagined the impact it would have.

People have been reaching out from all over the country telling me how much each of our interviewees inspired them and made them want to be a better advocate.

Thank you so much to Jade, Kara, Jodi, and today’s guest, Sarah.

It wouldn’t have been possible without you all building up the industry from within and being open to telling your story as a woman in construction.

And thank you so much to the readers for giving us this opportunity to tell their stories.

I am having so much fun doing this and hope you feel the change in the industry happening under our feet.

We can do this together.

Okay. Enough of me. Here is Sarah Walko, Business Development Engineer at Turner Construction Company.

 Q: How long have you been in the construction industry?

A: Just over 8 years, all with Turner Construction in their Philadelphia and Charlotte offices. I worked as an intern, project engineer, superintendent, senior estimator, and now I am in business development/sales so I have had a pretty solid rotation around some of the different facets of the industry.

Q: What is your favorite part about working in construction?

A: Honestly, how cool is it to see your work physically take shape in front of you and make a mark on the community? I am especially passionate about healthcare projects because they have an immediate effect on people and their loved ones. One of my favorite projects that I led was a multi-phase pediatric office renovation. It definitely was stressful having small children run around screaming right outside of my construction barrier, but when I turned over a phase, I saw the children’s eyes light up when they saw the unique shapes of the soffits, the patterns on the floor, the colorful accent walls…truly priceless and always made the hard work worth it! 

Q: What would you tell a young woman thinking about taking a construction track for her career?

A: I am so excited for the future generations of our industry! There are so many new opportunities that exist now that I did not have when I first started (only 8 years ago). With that being said, the hard work is still there. My tried-and-true advice is always ask questions, speak up and get yourself to the table, overprepare, never lose your empathy towards others, and find advocates/mentors. I know what you are thinking, “Easier said than done!” so just understand that entering the construction industry as a woman will be a continuous cycle of improvement and it will take practice to gain the respect and find the right people to help you along the way.

Q: What is something you deal with as a woman in construction that the average person would be surprised to hear?

A: Unfortunately, I feel like the average person could guess a lot of the things that I had experienced as a woman in construction. “No, you cannot have my number.” “Yes, I am the superintendent for this project.”  "Wow, I am the only woman in this room of 50 people." “Um hi there. I am the main point of contact for this project. What was the question?” Going off of this last statement, I would say one of the most common occurrences that happens to me and other women is being discarded from conversations because people usually look to the men in the room as the source of information even though you may be the main point of contact and the most knowledgeable. I will say, most of the time, this is not a purposeful act and more of a matter of unconscious bias that stems from experiences and societal norms. No excuses though, this needs to change.

Q: What systems does your company have in place to help you navigate being a woman in construction?

A: One of the most valuable is our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These have been the biggest support system I had experienced since being at Turner. They are employee-run so they can be molded into what your region needs them to be but will always have local and national support. I currently lead our Women’s Network ERG for our Carolinas business unit, but, leading up to this role, I found the resources and mentors from this ERG to be the most helpful as I navigate through my career. I have firsthand seen so much change travel up from the local ERG level up to the national level through employee-led initiatives. Having the safe space to share experiences and ideas has led to new training, connections, and community initiatives for women across the country.

Q: Are there any trade or other professionals organizations other women should get involved with

A: As someone who just entered the business development world, I became OVERWHELMED with how many organizations there are out there. I am still exploring the local groups/events, but CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) has been the main one that has allowed me to create a strong network of meaningful connections and reliable mentors. I also went through their Authentic Leadership Program which is specifically catered to women in this industry and how we can develop our unique form of leadership. It was one of the most valuable trainings I have participated in to date. Your cohort becomes your most trusted advisors and the relationships still remain strong over time. Another reason I recommend CREW is men participate in the group’s events, voice their support of the group, and recognize the hard work of women at their companies. Based on a few awesome events I just went to for NAWIC, I am definitely excited to see where this group takes me as well.

Q: What’s your best piece of advice for men in the construction industry to be better advocates?

A: Actively listen to what experiences women have gone though, participate in discussions regarding barriers women face, and honestly, just advocate for women when there are none in the room. There are so many conversations that happen in settings that women are not actively invited to so men need to be allies by recognizing when this happens and open up the conversations.

Q: What’s your best piece of advice for a woman in the construction industry who might be struggling with the gender disparity?

A: Don’t be silent about your struggles. We all need to voice when something is not equitable and ask for support to change it. These barriers will not be broken down with silence and change will not happen when people don’t know it needs to. It’s definitely very tough at times, I can’t discount that, but each woman entering the industry and pushing herself outside of her comfort zone makes way for more women in the future to work in a better and safer environment. We are all in this together, the support is here.

Sarah is a great leader and great friend. I'm so grateful she was willing to share her story with us. Thanks, Sarah!

***

And so ends our women in construction series here at the Balanced Construction Executive. 

My biggest takeaway is women are excited for the direction of the industry, but there is so much ALL of us can do to make it better. So let's go out there and make it happen. 

Next week we'll be back with more strategies for growing your career.

Thanks so much for being here. I'll see you then.

Your friend,

Matt

P.S. Don’t forget to donate to Girls On The Run. Any amount will make a difference