Women in Construction Week: Rachel Hamm

It's Women in Construction Week! Throughout the week, we are featuring women at Shook across various positions as they talk about what inspired them to a career in construction and share advice for women interested in the field.

Meet Rachel Hamm, Safety Program Manager.

Rachel has been in construction for seven years, with nearly four years of experience in safety. As Shook’s Safety Program Manager, Rachel is responsible for ensuring the company's safety program and regulatory compliance items are up to date, as well as coordinates with clients and trade partners to ensure all requirements are met. She also is a resource to support all project teams as well as the safety team. 

• What inspired you to pursue a career in construction?
  My career started in the U.S. Navy, providing operational support. From there I moved to community development, which included new residential buildings, residential rehabs, and commercial demolition. I really enjoyed being a part of something that helped evolve a community’s landscape, and construction was a perfect progression in my career. Joining the Safety Team at Shook has allowed me to utilize my skills to provide operational support and continue to help build up communities.
   
•  What advice would you give to young women considering a career in construction? Construction is an industry that will always give you a challenge and allow you to go in any direction you want, as well as any geographical location! You also do not have to pick just one thing to learn. You can start anywhere and decide to pivot at any time. If you ever become tired of working in the field, there are plenty of office positions. Want a mixture of both? There are plenty of those positions, too. If you are even considering joining the industry, I highly recommend asking to job shadow. If you don’t know where to start, career fairs are always excellent, or you can make connections on LinkedIn.
   
•  How do you see the role of women evolving in construction?
  I see more women stepping into field leadership roles. Each year that goes by, we have better fitting equipment and work apparel available, which makes it much easier to focus on the task at hand. I hope that helps to encourage more women to join the trades knowing they will be issued proper-fitting personal protection equipment. Women bring unique skills and mindsets to project teams, and I think they are an important piece to cultivating a culture within an organization.