Trailblazing Alumni Pave the Way for Women in Construction Industry
In celebration of Women in Construction Week, UA Little Rock is highlighting the remarkable achievements of three trailblazing female alumni who have risen to prominence in the construction industry through their roles at Little Rock-based Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc.
Cromwell, which opened in 1885, has a long history of supporting construction management and engineering students at UA Little Rock. More than 20 UA Little Rock graduates work at Cromwell, and Cromwell employees serve on advisory boards, give guest lectures, and provide internships to UA Little Rock students. The company recently donated $25,000 to create an endowed scholarship for undergraduate engineering majors at UA Little Rock.
Three of the amazing women employed at Cromwell who also attended UA Little Rock include Jenna Maness, construction administrator, Brittani Mitchell, structural engineer, and Tammy Siler, director of energy services.
Breaking barriers and defying stereotypes, these accomplished professionals exemplify a commitment to empowering women in traditionally male-dominated fields. Their success not only serves as a source of inspiration but also underscores the invaluable contributions of women in shaping the future of construction.
“Having visibility of women who are in construction will give other girls the opportunity to know that it’s possible to flourish in the industry,” said Maness, who has worked at Cromwell for two years after graduating from UA Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in construction management in 2020.
“There are certainly more women in all roles of construction now,” noted Siler, who has 15 years of experience at Cromwell. “It’s easy for women to be intimidated in a male-dominated field so it’s important to show that women can be successful in this industry.”
The alumni all agreed that the lessons they learned during their time as students at UA Little Rock helped them to be successful in their careers.
“The biggest thing for me was knowing that the professors had so much experience in the industry,” said Michell, who has worked at Cromwell for seven years. “And the requirement that students have a certain number of work experience hours (800) before they graduate. That really pushed students to get out there and learn about different aspects of the industry.”
Siler enjoyed the opportunity to learn different perspectives by taking classes in many different programs while she attended UA Little Rock.
“I had a lot of diversity in my classes, and I think that was of great benefit,” Siler said. “I learned a great work ethic while I was taking some of my harder classes. The math and physics background that I learned at UA Little Rock was the basis for my entire degree.”
As women working in the construction industry, Siler, Maness, and Mitchell all learned valuable lessons that they wanted to share with college students.
“Early in my career, I was a little sensitive to being a female in a male-dominated industry,” Siler said. “I didn’t want anyone to think I didn’t know enough. I learned it’s okay to ask questions, to be yourself, and to be confident. You don’t have to be something you’re not just because you are a woman.”
Mitchell recently had someone tell her that women in the construction industry are the most organized people in the world. Mitchell thinks it all comes down to confidence.
“My biggest lesson is to be confident in what you are doing,” Mitchell said. “Having confidence and not being afraid to speak up and stand up for your choices is key.”
Looking to the future of the industry, there is a great need for people to join the construction industry now to replace the experienced generation that will soon be retiring.
“I think anyone who wants to get into construction should go for it right now,” Maness said. “There is such a need in the construction industry. It is thriving and growing, and there are not enough younger people with the knowledge and experience.”
Meanwhile, Mitchell advised women who want to go into construction to gain as much experience as possible while they are still in school.
“My biggest advice is to do internships and gain experience in different disciplines and areas of construction. It helps you to find out the route you want to take,” Mitchell said. “There are so many different opportunities in the construction industry, and this experience helps you figure out where you want to go, what you want to learn, and to understand what happens in other fields.”
