Pinkard is proud to be a part of Women in Construction Week 2023. Pinkard understands that women have faced obstacles in the construction industry and is committed to helping them achieve their career aspirations in this field. Pinkard is focused on providing women with access to educational resources, flexibility, and mentorship opportunities. And this is not just for its employees but clients as well.
"I think it is really about flexibility," says Christina Call, Prequalification Coordinator. "One of the barriers I see for women is that we also take on a lot of the responsibility to raise our kids and keep our family life going."
Call says that she feels Pinkard's leadership allows her the flexibility to balance supporting Pinkard and her family. She thinks that a rigid 9-5 schedule isn't realistic, especially given the new status quo of remote work.
"I set an in-office schedule that I stick to, but the ability to remote work has made it possible for me to pursue a career in construction," says Call.
For project engineer Dallas Frisbie, her work in the field is all about showing up and getting the job done. She says that Pinkard's leadership is doing the heavy lifting to ensure that traditionally all-male environments are open and welcoming.
"I have experienced my fair share of uncomfortable experiences in my career. However, Pinkard's team works hard to make sure anyone feels comfortable," says Frisbie. "At the end of the day, I don't want to be the one policing everyone. Pinkard has already set the standard for appropriate behavior."
Frisbie says that women must also have access to mentorship to learn and grow. She says her experience at Pinkard has been tremendous and is eager to offer mentorship.
"When I was studying at the School of Mines, there wasn't a lot of other women pursuing this career with me," she said. "At Pinkard, I am so excited to have access to not just other Superintendents and project managers who are open and collaborative but also to Odette Bent-Buckles, our CFO."
Frisbie says that as she grows in this field, her priority is to continue to mentor other women who want to break into construction, especially in the field.
"The biggest misconception about this industry is that field jobs are not for women. I want to work to change that stereotype," she says. "Pinkard has proven to be the perfect place for that because this desire to change and grow is cultural. They make everyone feel like they belong."
Pinkard’s focus is on more than just its employees and includes the client experience for its growing number of female clients in development and facilities roles. Molly Chiang, a senior housing developer with Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA), says that her experience with Pinkard differs significantly from others in her career.
"Pinkard's team has always been extremely respectful, and I don't know, just treats us like peers and colleagues," says Chiang. "I have been in rooms where that is not the case."
"Walking onto a construction site as a woman, if I was like, 'I don't know what a glu-lam is,' I never felt stupid asking questions," said Lauren Cely, Senior Housing Developer for BCHA. "I remember standing in the garage shell, talking with your team about what's better: cast in place or precast, and we were going through the pros and cons, thinking about future projects, and I loved it."
Pinkard's commitment to helping women succeed in this field is evident in our ongoing efforts to provide women with the tools and resources they need to pursue a successful and fulfilling career in construction. Pinkard is thrilled to be celebrating Women in Construction Week and is excited to see the positive impact these initiatives have on the lives and careers of women in the industry.
