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2019 WIC Week: Women building innovation through education

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Raven Wiley, pictured here on the roof of Kilgore College’s B.E. Masters Gymnasium.

For this year’s Women in Construction Week (WIC Week), we’re exploring the many ways in which women build innovation at McKinstry. For Raven Wiley (pictured above), education has been key to developing her career. Raven is currently a commissioning intern in our Dallas office through McKinstry’s B.L.U.E. Internship Program, and she’s studying Instrumentation & Electrical Technology at Kilgore College while also working on McKinstry’s energy efficiency project at the very same college.

We recently spoke to Raven about her internship, what drew her to McKinstry, what it’s like to be a woman in construction, and much more. Here are excerpts from that interview:

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Celebrating women building innovation

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This week marks two important events: Women in Construction Week, which works to raise awareness for the equal role women play in our industry; and International Women’s Day, which celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

cherylwebsitephotoAt McKinstry, we aspire to a world where there is gender equity in all aspects of the construction industry. This means plumbers and pipefitters, sheet metal workers and site superintendents, project engineers and designers. We know that women and men can work together and thrive in all parts of the industry – helping us to build a more innovative, inclusive, creative, and robust future of construction.

As a leader in the built environment, McKinstry strives each day to innovate, engineer and deliver the best solutions that drive waste from the construction industry, improve buildings and decrease energy consumption. We steadfastly believe that one of the most important enablers of innovation is diversity and inclusion. Diverse ideas, backgrounds, experiences, identities and more help us to think differently and push boundaries. Research has found this to be true – companies with more diverse teams are more profitable, more successful and more innovative.  However, the key to unlocking these perspectives is creating an environment where each person feels they belong and has a voice.  

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Our leaders drive excellence

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As we close out the week and our celebration of Women in Construction Week, we’ll end by focusing on some of the women in leadership at McKinstry. From running businesses to developing new markets to mastering financials, these women are critical to driving excellence within McKinstry. As leaders, these women are making strides and driving impact in their careers, the industry and our communities every day.

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Innovation is thriving at McKinstry

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Whether you’re talking about technology, systems, hiring or even building materials, the answer is the same: The construction industry is ripe for innovation. As our computers and phones have gotten more and more sophisticated, our buildings haven’t always kept up. However, this won’t be the case for much longer! As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week, we spoke with three women at McKinstry who are on the front lines of innovation in the built environment:

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The power of diversity and inclusion

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Studies show that diverse and inclusive organizations have higher-functioning teams, enjoy improved financial performance and attract top-notch talent. While the construction industry has been diversifying for decades, women still make up only about nine percent of people employed in construction. At McKinstry, leaders and team members recognize the importance of continuing to grow and improve diversity and inclusion efforts—and individuals across the organization are bringing their passion, commitment and dedication to fostering inclusivity every day. From serving on advisory committees to bringing unique backgrounds to the table to engaging in tough conversations, these three women are helping to pave the way to greater diversity and inclusion in our industry.

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2017 WIC Week: Women in the trades

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From L to R: Lena, Nicole, and Allison, pictured on a jobsite in Bellevue, Wash.

For this year’s Women in Construction Week (WIC Week), which runs from March 5-11, we spoke with three women—Nicole Jetson, Allison Camper, and Lena Rowe—who work in the construction trades for McKinstry. Below are excerpts from that interview, covering their careers in construction, their experiences as women in the trades, and their thoughts on how to increase representation of women in their industry.

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