Join us in celebrating the 25th Annual Women in Construction Week
(March 5-11) with a blog series highlighting the value and ingenuity women bring to our member businesses. We’ll also feature careers and opportunities available to women interested in a rewarding, full-time job and being a part of the precast, prestressed concrete industry’s bright future.
PCI-MA: How do you describe your job to people?
Beth: Two words: fun and challenging! Simply put, my role is to ensure precast concrete is delivered to our job sites safely, on time and with the utmost care. Behind the scenes, a lot transpires logistically to make that happen, like procuring hauling companies, finding oversize truck routes, and planning with local authorities. I have the great privilege of working with teams of people who excel at what they do, and I enjoy helping to bring their efforts together.
PCI-MA: How did your career journey lead you to your company?
Beth: I landed in my field by happenstance. In 2007, I graduated with a business degree - not a great year in our country’s economic timeline. After several years working in a totally unrelated field, I took a dispatch role and found I really enjoyed the hectic transportation environment. Over the next 10 years, I would take other positions in the logistics field, each focusing on a different facet of transportation, but all within the consumer goods sector. When High was hiring for this role, I became excited about learning a segment of transportation I had never crossed paths with before: the construction industry. Add in the fact that High has a great reputation in our local community, and I knew it was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss.
PCI-MA: What is one of the greatest challenges you’ve faced and how have you overcome it?
Beth: I think we can all relate to stress. In this industry, heavy-haul transportation can lead to some intense situations. It’s so important to act with calmness and clarity on the job, but I’ll be the first to admit it’s easy to ruminate over problems. Finding purpose outside of work, like devoting time to family and investing in the hobbies I’m passionate about, gives me respite so when I do turn my focus back to work, I have fresh perspective.
PCI-MA: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Beth: Transportation and logistics offer a lot of variety, from analyzing trends to figuring out how to make a delivery on time after a truck breaks down. The icing on the cake, however, is seeing a brand-new parking garage fully erected and knowing the challenges that were overcome along the way. That was not something I’d experienced before coming into the construction industry. Additionally, there’s a huge ‘people’ aspect to my job that is especially rewarding. I really see my role as building relationships across the many teams I work with.
PCI-MA: Do you have a mentor or role model? If so, how does this person support you in your personal and professional growth?
Beth: In my personal life and professional career, I tend to draw upon little bits and pieces I’ve learned from all my relationships along the way. I am fortunate, however, to have several people at High that I can be transparent with and look to for guidance, and who challenge me. Outside of work, I find it so important to have a support system of family and friends who know me best and offer an outlet to unburden, as well as push me in areas that I need pushed.
PCI-MA: What are your career and life aspirations and goals?
Beth: My career aspiration is to leave every role better than I found it. When I look down the road ahead, I don’t envision a particular ending point. I’ve enjoyed the journey and am really satisfied with where I’m at right now. I see lots of opportunity for growth within transportation and the construction industry, particularly with High. There are some personal aspirations that I would love to pursue when the time is right, but mostly I’d like to prioritize time with family in the future.
PCI-MA: What advice would you give a young woman entering the construction industry?
Beth: Someone once told me that work success takes a combination of talent, hard work and luck. The way I see that playing out in real life is – first, build upon your unique talents. When I was hired for my current job, it wasn’t because I had a construction background, but because my skillset was a good fit for this role. Rather than be intimidated by what is historically a male-dominated industry, embrace your differences and make them an asset. And secondly, put in the hard work so when the right opportunity happens to come along, you’ll be ready. If the construction industry is new to you like it was to me, spend time with other departments to learn the big picture. It will speak volumes about your dedication, and you’ll build priceless connections at the same time.
About High Concrete Group
High Concrete Group is a PCI-certified “AA” producer of architectural precast concrete and a manufacturer of structural precast concrete, committed to driving innovation, delivering quality, and building trustworthy relationships. Since 1957, High Concrete Group has served a variety of structure types, including parking, healthcare, government, office, multifamily, data center, education, and mixed-use facilities. Our market reach spans throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, with precast concrete production facilities in Denver, Pennsylvania and Springboro, Ohio. Whether you're an architect, general contractor, construction manager, or engineer, precast concrete from High Concrete Group can benefit your project in a number of ways. Our precast concrete offers design flexibility, improved safety, reliable performance, long-lasting durability, and unbeatable cost savings.
