Martha N Elliott
Company: CAM Construction
Title: Director of Business Development
Years in the industry: 40+
What made you want to join the construction industry?
I was intrigued with architecture as an extension of my art education and was astounded to find that there were multi-degreed individuals working in the field.
What does being a woman in construction mean to you?
Initially it meant that I was a ground breaker because few women in the industry held positions in management and I had led a staff of almost a dozen people in my previous career. While it is still a challenge, I am delighted to find that women now have a place in the industry where we are literally changing the landscape of our environment. Innately we see things differently than men and the combination of our two skill sets often results in the very best of all possible outcomes for the project.
How can you help educate young women that may be considering entering the industry or that don’t know about opportunities in the industry?
I have personally spent years speaking to educators, parents and young women about the opportunities directly associated with construction as well as those which support the industry ¬â€œ law, environmental science, urban planning, historic restoration, accounting, banking, design, etc. ¬â€œ and have discussed not only working as an employee for others but also the benefits of being a minority owned business, Through WABC’s scholarship program and the mentoring which follows we are helping many women learn about this rewarding career