In celebration of Women of Construction (WIC) Week with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), we are recognizing two Braun Intertec women who are part of the industry. This year’s theme “Keys to the Future,” celebrates the strength and knowledge of women and the vital role they play in shaping the future of the construction industry. We asked employee-owners Hannah Thomas and Katrina Sargent for their “key” insights on being a woman in the construction industry.
What is your current job?
Hannah Thomas: I am a Project Engineer and Business Development Lead based in the Commerce City, Colorado office.
Katrina Sargent: I am a Project Scientist for the Concrete Science Group based in the Bloomington, Minnesota office.
What is the best part about your job?
Hannah Thomas: It’s getting to meet new people from across different industries and groups together to solve a common goal. I’ve really enjoyed getting to hear from everyone’s different perspectives and learning more about what makes each part of a project successful! The best part is I can do both of those things in the office and the field.
Katrina Sargent: Not every day is the same. I enjoy discussing projects with clients from all over the United States and some as far away as Guam.
What does your day-to-day look like?
Hannah Thomas: It really depends on the day, some days it’s out in the field logging soil or doing soil tests on construction sites, some days I am in the office working on reports, or in the lab doing lab testing. I also spend a lot of my time meeting with clients at various places. It’s never the same and that is one of the things I love about my job!
Katrina Sargent: Well, not every day is the same. Sometimes it is maintenance on testing equipment to prepare for an upcoming test, conference calls with clients to discuss a new product they are trying to develop, or testing concrete that came all the way from the other side of the world. I perform so many tests that it is uncommon for me to have repetition in my workday.
What did you want to be when you were little?
Hannah Thomas: A fireman, but I learned pretty quickly I couldn’t handle the medical side of it or the heat both literally and figuratively.
Katrina Sargent: I always had a fascination with the ocean, so my dream was to become a marine biologist. Unfortunately, that did not happen, but I do scuba dive any chance I get when I’m near a tropical location.
What sparked your interest in construction?
Hannah Thomas: It all started when I was working at my first internship at Denver Water with the network/IT team. They had a new data center being built and I was tasked with helping terminate all of the RJ-45s for the switches. Since it was an active construction site at the time, I had to go through the same motions of wearing the correct PPE and being mindful of the construction environment while carrying out a portion of my internship. Needless to say, I was pretty hooked on the fast-paced environment and the sense of community you develop when you get to work with different groups of people. I ended up getting a job with Kiewit about a year later and sparked (lol) my career in construction!
Katrina Sargent: It was my dad. He was the director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) lab in Maplewood, Minnesota. He worked many different roles in MnDOT and I always remember visiting him at his office and seeing all the pictures and maps of different construction projects.
In terms of getting your education, what is the hardest part of achieving this goal?
Hannah Thomas: For me, it was figuring out what exactly I wanted to do. You usually get pressured to choose your major pretty early on, so it makes it hard to feel out what you are interested in! It takes our brains until we’re at least 25 years old to fully develop and it can be tough to find what works for your brain and your passions in an environment with so much pressure. The hardest part can be finding your strengths and weaknesses and sticking it out!
Katrina Sargent: I actually graduated with a biology degree from UW-River Falls. I graduated at a bad time with the economy in a huge slump and finding a job was extremely difficult. I still had an interest in construction and my dad pushed me to materials testing where I started as an intern and then it turned into a full-time job which kind of stuck. I’ve been in the industry now for almost 16 years.
What is your favorite piece of construction equipment?
Hannah Thomas: The skid because it’s zippy.
Katrina Sargent: I’m not out in the field (I had been in my first couple years) but I would have to say dozers. Plus, it was my youngest kiddo’s favorite piece of equipment when he was little.
What is the coolest project you’ve worked on?
Hannah Thomas: Working on a $5B joint venture project in Calcasieu, Louisiana where they drove over 15,000 concrete piles.
Katrina Sargent: There have been so many awesome jobs that I enjoyed over the years but the project I probably think was the coolest and most proud of was the research and development of a new ASTM test method and specification. It was months and years of trials, conference calls, and ASTM task group meetings all while working with some of the greatest people in the concrete industry. It was a group effort and now both ASTM’s have been published and in 2021 our project was a Grand Award Winner of ACEC Minnesota and ACEC National.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Hannah Thomas: I try to birdwatch every weekend, year-round if I can and hang out with my family and two dogs! I also really enjoy watching/playing sports, fishing, video games, walking, hiking, rollerblading, and weightlifting in my spare time.
Katrina Sargent: I spend the majority of my time with my husband Alan and our two boys, Easton (12) and Keegan (10). Easton and Keegan are both involved in baseball, football, boxing, and golf. We spend many evenings running the kids around to various activities. We also spend a lot of time at my family cabin on Blueberry Lake near Hayward, Wisconsin. We all enjoy trail riding in our side by side, fishing, tubing, boating, kayaking, and swimming. During the winter we spend a lot of time at Afton Alps skiing and snowboarding.
Who inspires you?
Hannah Thomas: I have an extremely long list, but there are some women off. the top of my head for women I have worked with that are at all involved in the construction industry: From Braun Intertec: Jennifer McKinnon, Jennifer Clayson Kraus, and Amy Weaver. From Stantec: Amanda Adams, Carolyn Randolph Loar, and Christina Brueckman over. From Weitz: Laura Eathorne. They are all women I try to model myself after!
Katrina Sargent: Richard “Dick” Stehly. He was my very first mentor in the cement/concrete world. I was young and very green and had no clue what I was getting into. He took me under his wing and helped guide me my first couple of years and shared so much of his knowledge with me up until his unexpected death. He was also a pioneer in promoting the use of fly ash in concrete. He pushed and pushed and didn’t give up. And now, I am so happy to test the fly ash in my labs that he worked so hard.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
Hannah Thomas: Don’t settle because you are comfortable. Life is too short; find something that gives you life and chase your passion! It’s okay to take the extra time to explore the different paths you can pursue. I learned the most about myself by trying things I didn’t end up enjoying or thriving at, which helped push me towards what was really meant for me in the end.
Katrina Sargent: Don’t give up. Sometimes things don’t go the way you think or thought it would and that’s ok. Stop and take a step back and reevaluate and try it again. In the testing world, nothing is perfect all the time.
What advice do you have for a woman entering the construction field?
Hannah Thomas: Try everything! Don’t say “no” to new opportunities because it’s uncomfortable. Find out as much as you can about yourself, especially your natural strengths and weaknesses – that will help guide you towards what is meant for you.
Katrina Sargent: Be strong. In certain areas, whether it is in the field, lab, or a conference room, make your voice heard. It can be intimidating sometimes in the construction world, but you have the power to flip the script and make your presence known.
Learn more about NAWIC and WIC Week at https://wicweek.org/.