C.D. Smith Labor Journeywoman

After finishing two degrees, Ashley Szweda decided to explore a career in construction after a friend encouraged her to do so.

“One of my girlfriends was a sheet metal worker. I had just moved back here from Texas, and she’s like ‘Ashley, go take the test! Just be a laborer, go make over $21 an hour, you’ll be fine. Then you’ll figure it out,’” Szweda said. “After you start out making over $21 an hour, now it’s a lot more. It’s hard to go back. I have two degrees, and this makes good money for the hours.”

Now, almost eight years later, Szweda says it’s always surprising to see her personal growth as a female laborer.

“When I first started I couldn’t strip form. I really couldn’t, and I wanted to refuse, like I can’t do it, won’t do it. Not going to touch it. And then the more I did it, I learned little tricks, and now I teach others and men that are twice my size, or I think have been doing this their whole life. I’ve shown them tricks.”

Szweda says being a woman in construction is challenging and everchanging.

“I built a very thick skin. You have to if you stick around. I like the change, and I like the challenge.”

Szweda encourages other women in construction to stick with it, and not take things to heart.

“Just come here and work, work the best you can, hard as you can. Find a mentor. That’s the biggest thing.”

To make construction a more inclusive industry, Szweda says women should be treated as equals.

“It needs to be educated that we’re all just people. So give us a fair shot. Do your job. Treat every woman like you would treat any other man. I think that would make things a lot easier,” Szweda said.