Name: Samantha R.
Company: Beaver
Title/Position: Talent & Development Manager
Years working in construction: 11
What was your path to a career in construction? I feel like I stumbled in to pursuing a career in construction. I initially thought I wanted to be an architect but I quickly learned I did not want to continue on that path my freshman year of college so I transitioned to what my advisor thought I would enjoy more, civil engineering. I was not entirely sure what I was getting myself in to but I enjoyed math and it came easy to me, I loved the idea of being able to work outside and in an office, and mostly, the fact that I could be apart of a project start to finish and see structures, roadways, landscapes, etc. come to life. I co-op’d while I earned my degree and determined that I definitely wanted to move toward the construction management side of the degree rather than design so I was very fortunate to be offered a position at Beaver before the end of my senior year. I started working in project management within the Heavy Highway team. I was reluctant to move away from home, but took the opportunity to work out of town for the first few years of my career and learned and grew so much! It was hands down the best decision for my career to work in the field, see equipment move, become familiar with the trades and their capabilities, and be exposed to challenging situations to grow and develop in project management. That experience really catapulted me in to the industry. After over 8 years in project management, I was offered the opportunity to help grow and develop our employees by taking the Talent and Development Manager position and the rest is history.
What do you like most about working in construction? While I was in project management, I loved to see a project come to life. I really enjoyed seeing the plans come to life. This industry is so rewarding and to see a project come to life and be around for decades to come, is motivating. Everyday is different. In my position now, I am fortunate that it allows me to interact with almost the entire company from Safety Supervisors, Area Superintendents, to project engineers to Foreman in training. With all the work going on and the booming construction industry in Ohio, we have grown a ton as a company because our people are not afraid to look for opportunities to exercise their skills, tackle difficult situations and be leaders on our projects. The industry is so competitive, that by encouraging and offering growth to our employees, we continue to build our teams and make impacts on all projects we are on. That is what I love to see in my current role.
This year’s theme is “Keys to the Future.” What is the key to the future of construction in Ohio? The key to the future of construction in Ohio is embracing the tools. Understanding how to utilize past data to evolve strategies and improve how situations are handled. Not being afraid of technology to help stay organized and assist with collaborating to seek a better end result. We are being given a great opportunity to showcase our skills here in Ohio as many major companies and investors continue to determine our state is where they would like to build their futures. Its up to us to stay ahead of the curve and dial in on safety measures, trends, schedules, quality, production, etc. We can spend more time being creative and collaborative as project teams. Encouraging diversity on these teams to improve collaborative outcomes.
If you were to give young women (high schoolers) advice about beginning a career in construction? Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Ask questions. Embrace being “green”. Take any opportunity given to you to learn, experience the industry, get exposure to different jobs, etc. There are so many rewarding career paths in construction, take the chance to get to know them and identify what path is right for you. Don’t be afraid to switch career paths either.
