Maria Bennett joined Lehman-Roberts, a Granite Company, nearly seven years ago as a Contract Administrator. Throughout her time with the team, she has consistently received praise for her work ethic, attention to detail, and talent in connecting with others.
Recently promoted to Contract and Cost Control Analyst, Maria shares her encouragement on opportunities for women in the construction industry.
Meet a Woman of Asphalt: Lehman-Roberts’ Maria Bennett
AsphaltPro: What would you say was the most challenging “obstacle” you, as a female in the construction/asphalt industry, had to overcome in the past four years, and how DID you overcome that obstacle?
Maria Bennett: I initially had two reservations about going into this industry. The first was being a woman in what I thought was a male-dominated field. The second was being super novice. I knew nothing about asphalt or what it took to do what we do.
I was surprised to realize it is not as male-dominated as I thought! I find myself surrounded by hard working and fully supportive women. Some as new as myself, and some with tons of years under their belt. Every one of them has been open and welcoming and eager to share their knowledge, which really helped me to find my place in this company/industry.
In addition, I also deal with subcontractors every day, and the majority of those contacts are women. So many wonderful women that are contributing to this industry from payroll to estimates to project management and I had no idea. The whole feeling I had about being an outsider in this industry did not last long.
The second obstacle I had to overcome was really one that could be for anyone starting a whole new career, no matter what industry they may be going into. I went from knowing everything to not knowing a thing and having to learn all over again. I’ll be trying to overcome that obstacle for years to come, I’m sure, but I am absolutely looking forward to it. I left banking when I was 38 years old. The fear of going to a whole new career path was almost too daunting, but I wanted to have a job that fit me and I wasn’t going to find it by not getting myself out there. With a good company, you will find the training needed to be the best at your position.
AsphaltPro: What do you think is an incorrect perception that we, as an industry, can re-educate young people about to encourage more women to consider a career in the asphalt business?
Maria Bennett: This is not just a man’s industry anymore. More and more women are joining the workforce in this field and this field needs us. It is an industry that you can grow with and absolutely shine in.
Women are capable of so much and there is so much this industry can offer us. It is also a field that is needed no matter where you move in this world. The world will always need roads and a strong infrastructure. It’s an industry that isn’t a fad or the current new thing. It’s job security in a field that you could grow in, learn so much, and never get bored with it because it’s always changing.
Check Out the Full Interview:
This content was authored by Sandy Lender and originally appeared in AsphaltPro Magazine. To view the full version of this interview, visit: https://theasphaltpro.com/articles/meet-a-woman-of-asphalt-lehman-roberts-maria-bennett/
Lehman-Roberts is a wholly owned subsidiary of Granite Construction. Learn more at https://www.graniteconstruction.com/company/our-brands.
