News

In honor of Women in Construction Week 2022, we sat down with Assistant Project Manager Anna Karapetyan, who is coming up on her 2-year anniversary with Amoroso and more than 12 years in the industry, to get her take on what it is like being a Woman in Construction.

She began her career with Amoroso as a Project Engineer and was quickly promoted to Assistant Project Manager for her work on the Colfax Charter ES Classroom Addition Project for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).  As an Assistant Project Manager, Anna is a leader in the field, which is an extremely rare role for women in the construction industry.  While estimates place the percentage of female construction industry workers at around 10.9%, the percentage of field workers who are women is dramatically lower than even that figure—varying between 1-4%.

Here is what she had to say:

1. Please give me a quick background on your path to construction:

"I never thought I would be working in construction.  My Mom is a math teacher, and I sat with her in her classes when I was growing up, so I got to be good at math.  I was interested in design and was accepted into a top international university for architecture in Armenia.  I was the only woman in the program, but I loved the focus on "major building design", which combined architecture and construction.  It was challenging being the only woman, but it made me stronger and taught me to always be prepared."

2. What was your path after graduating?

"I started in engineering and estimating for a construction company in Armenia.  I really liked being on the jobsite and wanted to work in the field, but many in the industry thought that women could and should not do field work.  I did not let that discourage me.  Once I was on the jobsite and got to experience seeing the buildings go up, I was hooked.  It was much more interesting to me than drafting, so I pursued field work when I came to the U.S. for work.  Here, I was also told that I should not even work in the construction industry—that I should pursue nursing instead, as that was more suited to women.  Again, I did not let that discourage me and was hired by a construction company to perform engineering and estimating work. I still wanted to be in the field, so I began looking for a position that would allow me to do that, which is how I came to Amoroso, where I started as a Project Engineer in the field and then was promoted to Assistant Project Manager.

3. What do you find most interesting/exciting about the working in the field?

"I love seeing things being built from the ground up, learning about and being able to safely operate equipment, and coordinating with all the trades, which is what I am most passionate about.  I love working for a General Contractor, because I find it more interesting to coordinate with and learn about all the different trades, rather than just one.  I think that is the benefit of working for a GC.  I am also passionate about being a strong leader by connecting and communicating with everyone in the field.  I think that being a woman is an asset in that respect.  I have found that most of the people in the field, men included, treat me with respect.

4. What advice would you give women who want to pursue a career in construction?

"As a woman in the field, there are challenges related to my gender, including from other women!  I have experienced issues with dress code, security (having to be escorted around a jobsite by a man), and other discrepancies in how I am treated versus how men are.  But, overall, I am respected and able to lead.  My advice is to be strong, brave, and prepared always, because construction is a wild world.  I am proud to tell people I work in the field in the construction industry, and that I am an engineer."