Claudia Bougebrayel Engineer | Turner Construction

My journey to civil engineering and later construction was heavily influenced by my father. He dedicated 20+ years in the field of mechanical engineering, and witnessing the hard work and enthusiasm behind his work over the years played a large role in my career interests. Aside from his professional career, my dad was also always fixing things around the house growing up. His curiosity and affinity towards all things engineering was clearly imparted on me! 

My first job out of college was actually as a structural engineer, working at a design firm in downtown Cleveland. The company I worked for specialized in new builds, renovations, and other miscellaneous structural assessments. The two years I spent working as a design engineer helped me to develop a strong foundation for all structural components of a project, and it also gave me a glimpse into the Construction Administration (CA) stage. I spent many hours reviewing shop drawings and responding to RFI's on the design side. Eventually, I began to realize that I wanted more of a hands-on experience in this field - one where I was able to work with the subcontractors directly and leave my desk from time to time. I wanted to bridge the gap between the 2D drawings I was creating and the 3D structure that was actually being built. This led me to reach out to Turner Construction, which is where I have been ever since! It has been 3 years as an engineer with Turner - and they have been extremely impactful on my career. The projects I have worked on are meaningful and I have had a chance to connect with so many incredible industry leaders over the years. 

I think an alarming misconception that still exists about women in construction is regarding our intelligence. I cannot count how many times I have witnessed "man-splaining" during meetings, all while the woman is fully on board and in tune with what is going on. I am not sure why this misconception exists, or why it's still tolerated.  

Women are incredibly detailed, organized, and self-aware. We are also highly effective communicators, which is a huge part of our day-to-day roles. Another strength is our work ethic - women are extremely hard working and self-motivated. 

During your first few years in the industry - be a sponge. Spend a day with everyone on your team, learn about their experiences, and try as many different roles as you can! It is just as important to learn about what you DON'T like as what you DO like. 
 
Don't be too hard on yourself in the early stages as you gain your footing. Confidence comes with exposure and repetition.