This month, we’re celebrating Women in Construction Week (March 6-12) 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.
My name is Cheyenne Doyle-Schreffler, and I am a twenty-three-year-old project engineer at Northeast Precast. I graduated from Nova Southeastern University in 2020, where I received the Student of the Year Award in 2019 for the College of Engineering and Computing. Growing up, my family was involved with construction, which peaked my interest at a young age to pursue an occupation in that field.
PCI-MA: How do you describe your job to people?
Doyle-Schreffler: As a project engineer, my main role is communicating with our customers on design coordination. I also work to support production and erection efforts by checking drawings and releasing materials for purchasing and fabrication.
PCI-MA: How did your career journey lead you to your company?
Doyle-Schreffler: I became interested in engineering in high school, where I took STEM classes all four years. I continued my education in southern Florida, where I studied engineering with an industrial and systems concentration. The summer before my junior year of college, I started an internship at Northeast Precast, where I reviewed construction drawings and helped out with releases for our production team. At the end of my internship, I was offered a full-time job, which I eagerly accepted upon my college graduation. I have now been a project engineer for almost two years with Northeast Precast, and hopefully many more.
PCI-MA: What is one of the greatest challenges you’ve faced in our industry and how have you overcome it?
Doyle-Schreffler: Working in my role at Northeast Precast has allowed me to gain experience and insight that is above average for my age. When I’m first introduced to a new client or project team, sometimes my youth is assumed to equal a lack of knowledge. It can be challenging to convey my abilities in an initial call, but I’ve become more patient in letting my work speak for itself once a project has started.
PCI-MA: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Doyle-Schreffler: My job offers challenges that increase my professional growth, so I never have a dull moment, and the company culture at Northeast Precast offers a great support system.
PCI-MA: Do you have a mentor or role model? If so, how does this person support you in your personal and professional growth?
Doyle-Schreffler: From the beginning of my career at Northeast Precast, my manager, Peter Gorgas, has supported me tremendously with my personal and professional development. His sense of understanding as well as his wealth of knowledge, have made an enormous impact on not only my confidence but my overall career path.
PCI-MA: What are your career and life aspirations and goals?
Doyle-Schreffler: My career goals would include becoming a professional engineer and managing a department of engineers. For my life aspirations, I would like to participate in the various rowing regattas and to continue my love for the sport of rowing.
PCI-MA: What advice would you give a young woman entering the construction industry?
Doyle-Schreffler: I would advise young women entering the construction industry to never underestimate yourself and never stop looking for an opportunity to learn something new!
About Northeast Precast
Northeast Precast is a state-of-the-art precast concrete manufacturer located in Millville, New Jersey, that offers commercial products and residential foundation wall systems. In 2001, John Ruga started selling Superior Walls® in New Jersey and started precast manufacturing in 2004. Starting as only a Superior Walls franchise, the company diversified and became known as Northeast Precast, a leader in custom precast products. Today Northeast Precast continues to expand to meet the demands of the residential, commercial building, highway infrastructure, and heavy marine construction markets.
Want to learn more about a career in precast? Check out our workforce Career Center for job descriptions, career paths, job listings, and other helpful resources.
