3rd Annual NAWIC Luncheon

“Be confident in your ability; you are more than capable,” was the message shared with attendees at the 3rd Annual National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Luncheon Wednesday, March 4, at the Metropolitan Community College Institute for the Culinary Arts.

More than 200 people attended the event, organized by the Omaha Chapter of the NAWIC, to celebrate women in the field and empower the next generation during National Women in Construction Week.

The event, moderated by MCL Construction Project Engineer Dawn Stanley, featured a panel of inspiring women from a variety of backgrounds, including Jordyn Glow, inspection manager for Viking Sprinkler Protection Group; Andrea Kathie, owner of Field Day Development; Tiernee Fletcher, heavy equipment operator and union tradeswoman; and Celia Torres, construction project assistant for Cardinal Building Group.

When asked what the biggest challenge was at the beginning of their careers, Kathie said she was often the youngest person — and the only woman — in the room.

“You have to prepare twice as much and work twice as hard to get to a level playing field,” she said. “The biggest challenge was making sure that when I showed up, I was the smartest, most knowledgeable person in the room.”

Echoing that sentiment, Torres said showing up with confidence and authority goes a long way.

"I’m always the youngest on the jobsite, and sometimes I’m overlooked. I have to be firm with my decisions, whether I see a safety hazard or something else,” she said.

The other three women shared similar stories about how they entered the industry.

Fletcher received an associate degree in business management before entering the insurance industry and eventually finding her way into the trades.

Glow studied biology and worked in banking before joining Viking. Since joining the company four years ago, she has transitioned through several roles before becoming a project engineer.

“I wish I had known this was a possibility a long time ago,” she said. “It’s so valuable to make sure people know what is out there.”

Before opening her own business, Kathie said she failed math in high school and later earned a degree in political science.

“Now I do financing for $50 to $60 million deals,” she said. “As a boss for the last 16 years, I would say it’s not always your technical knowledge — you can learn that stuff. It’s your work ethic and your grit. Can you be creative? Can you think strategically and critically? That’s what’s important.”

After the panel concluded, NAWIC presented the Rising Star Award to first-year MCC architecture student Cheyenne Clover-Garcia.

At 26 years old, Clover-Garcia had relocated from California to Bellevue, Nebraska, with her husband, who is serving in the United States Air Force. She had fallen into banking but didn’t feel passionate about the work.

Then she remembered how much she enjoyed helping her father with residential construction projects when she was younger.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to rearrange my room, but I had to draw the different layouts first,” she said. “Then I would start holding things up and rearranging.”

She decided to give electrical engineering a try before switching to architecture.

“I love the program and I love that the teachers are from the field, not just professors,” she said.

She plans to pursue commercial work after graduation.

Visit mccneb.edu/SkilledTrades to learn more about the architecture or construction programs MCC offers.