Jaclyn McCormick and Alexandra Crawford started their path into construction by way of art. McCormick’s love of art started in middle school. Early on, she wanted to become an artist until she went to school for architecture and did an internship in construction.
“I found that to be more interesting,” she says of construction.
She had a passion for helping with the process of building a structure. She started her career in construction management, working for a firm that merged the design side of building with construction.
“Seeing the whole process and having it come to life has always been exciting,” says McCormick, interim assistant director of construction management at VCU.
Crawford took a slightly different path that included a background in art and art history. She became interested in construction when she worked for a museum that was under construction and met McCormick, who was the construction manager.
“I fell in love with all that it takes to bring a building to life. I wanted something sustainable, that I could grow in,” says Crawford, a project engineer for general contractor, Kjellstrom + Lee. “I have always been in a project management type of role.”
Women in Construction – NAWIC Hosts Summer Camp to Inspire Girls
Both women are members of the Richmond chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). The association was founded in 1953 in Ft. Worth by sixteen women who came together to support themselves. The Richmond chapter was founded over fifty years ago.
The organization helps to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry by providing education, community, and advocacy for women.
“We do a lot of community service work,” says McCormick. “We have made a commitment with K-12 students to help get them excited about the industry.”
Each July, the Richmond chapter of NAWIC holds a week-long camp, Camp NAWIC, to help introduce rising seventh, eighth, and ninth graders to the construction industry.
“It takes almost an entire year of planning,“ says McCormick. “We couldn’t do it without our trade partners and allies in the community. We’ve expanded, and we foster educating all our youth about careers in construction.”
Over the years, McCormick has seen the industry change in the number of women who have entered the field.
“I have a lot of hope for the future,” she says. “We just celebrated women in construction week in March. This year, the numbers show that women make up [almost 11 percent] of the construction industry. In my eighteen years of being in construction management I have seen that number rise.”
Why Women Belong in the Construction Industry
Instead of worrying about challenges, she has focused now on what makes women great candidates for the field. “Women are better negotiators for others and they have the ability to multi-task,” she says. “We have the capability to do well in this field.”
McCormick feels that it is important for women to have a seat at the table. “I want people to feel like: I am supposed to be here! When I’m in a meeting, I make sure I know the contract and the project to be able to have an intelligent conversation and make sure people to know I am at the table,” she says.
Crawford, who has about eight years in the industry, finds that it’s not uncommon to be the only woman on a job site.
“For a while I had imposter syndrome. I would think, Am I supposed to be here? Watching how Jaclyn and other strong women carry themselves on the job site has given me a lot to aspire to in how I do my job,” she says. “There is a reason I am at the table. I love my job. I want to do the best I can and build a building to the best standard as we can. I am grateful to be in the industry and work alongside other women.”
Next-Generation NAWIC Members
McCormick, a single mom by choice, is already showing her three-and-a-half-year-old how much fun construction can be.
“She always wears a construction hat and vest as well as her safety gear at home,” McCormick says. “I read a bunch of books about construction to her and she knows about construction equipment because we are in a complex that has construction going on.”
She takes her daughter to NAWIC meetings with her occasionally.
“I try to bring her up in the industry. I think it’s important to show my daughter that you can wear many hats,” she says.
McCormick realizes the importance of empathy on the job more now than she before becoming a parent. “It’s about being patient with a team and recognizing there is life outside of work,” she says. “I try to give people grace, and I think they give it back to me.”
