Women in Construction Week Spotlight: Samantha Wood
Ames Construction is proud to celebrate the extraordinary women on our team during Women in Construction Week—and every day of the year!
As we celebrate WIC Week and Women’s History Month, we’ll shine a spotlight on some of the women who contribute to the present and future of Ames and the entire heavy civil and industrial construction industry.
Samantha Wood
Environmental Technician
Southwest Region (Arizona)
Projects: Arizona mining and transportation projects
6 years at Ames
→ What led you to join the construction industry?
A friend who worked as a crusher foreman told me I should get a job at his workplace. I had nothing to lose! Ames Superintendent Doug Cates called me not too long after that. He offered me a haul truck driver position, and I left immediately to work for Ames driving haul trucks.
→ Did you face any challenges when you first started in the construction industry? If so, what types of challenges, and how did you overcome them?
Having a height difference made things slightly difficult. I needed to make sure the equipment I would be running had a fully operable seat that moved forward. I also had to figure out how to make the men respect me as a woman in construction. I told them day one, “Treat me like one of the dudes but with some boundaries.”
→ What does the future hold for women in construction?
This industry still has a lot of work to do, but more men will see that women can do whatever men can do if women put their all into it.
Learn more about WIC Week, March 3-9, 2024.
Are you motivated to launch a rewarding career? Come join us! Learn about Ames job opportunities.
Ames Construction is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
