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Women in Construction Week Spotlight: Laura Hastings

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Women in Construction Week Spotlight: Laura Hastings

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W. M. Jordan Company is thrilled to once again be celebrating our team members and all of the wonderful Women in Construction during WIC Week 2022.

Kicking off this year’s WIC Week, we check in with #WMJ Assistant Project Superintendent, Laura Hastings. Laura boasts a construction management career of over 20 years, having served in a facilities management and real estate acquisition role prior to heading to the field and working as a superintendent.

Laura currently serves as the Vice President of the Wilmington-Cape Fear National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Chapter 390.

“Prior to joining W. M. Jordan, I had never heard of NAWIC, and I really wish I had,” said Hastings. “This is a great organization to have supporting you as you establish yourself in the construction industry. I feel very passionate that opportunities should be available to everyone who is qualified for them. Working with NAWIC allowed me to put something in a place that I did not have the opportunity to do earlier in my career.”

Laura has seen a lot of change in the construction industry since she started over two decades ago.

“When I first started, there were very few women in the construction industry,” she said. “No project managers and certainly no women in the field, it was definitely a different time in our industry.”

Now, Laura says, she is thrilled to see many new faces of women joining the ranks of construction professionals.  When asked what has contributed to her success, Laura believes your attitude and belief in yourself makes a big difference.

“I believe a lot of success can be attributed to your approach of a situation. It is important to be confident in yourself and your abilities and to project that confidence when you are working on a project.”

The Wilmington-Cape Fear NAWIC chapter holds chapter meetings, as well as educational programs for their members. This year their focus is on Technology in Construction.

“We are working through all the different technologies that are involved in the construction process,” said Laura. “From 3D drawings of the building to start, all the way until the end, we are learning what goes into a building and why it is important. Being involved in this has been a very rewarding experience.”

When asked what advice she would give to the next generation of women entering the construction industry, Laura responded, “The best thing you can do is get your boots on the ground. If you are interested in construction, the best place to learn is the field. You will learn what you enjoy and where your career can take you. If you are passionate about your goals, do not let anyone stop you from achieving them.”