A Career in construction changes woman’s life

Lashundria Dewberry left her job in security to go into a career in construction. She is a journeyman laborer with Local 76 Cement. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JESSICA ORTIZ
Lashundria Dewberry left her job in security to go into a career in construction. She is a journeyman laborer with Local 76 Cement. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JESSICA ORTIZ

 A Career in construction changes woman’s life

By Tia Carol Jones

Lashundria Dewberry was looking for a career change. She knew she didn’t want to work as a security guard forever. In the back of her mind, she always had a career in construction as an ideal option. In 2015, she decided to pursue a career in construction and go through a four-month training program.

 Now, she is a journeyman laborer for Union Local 76 Cement.
Dewberry’s story is one of many when it comes to Women in Construction. Construction can offer women not just a career change, but a life change. That was the case for Dewberry, a single mother who has been able to use the income to create a path to financial freedom, which includes looking to purchase her first home.

Dewberry has been a laborer for a little more than six years. Being a woman in construction hasn’t been easy but she has persevered through it. The process of getting into the trades wasn’t hard for Dewberry. She acknowledges the Chicago Women in Trades and Hire360 Chicago have helped to make her transition smooth. Hire360 Chicago helped with her union dues, equipment and materials, a union card and getting her back to work when she was laid off.  Overall, it has been a pretty good experience for her.

When Dewberry began, she was flagging. After two or three years later, once she learned more of the trades, she started doing surveying and helping the project managing on the site, as well as preparing the site. She does everything from building taper to forming concrete.

Dewberry went from making $15 an hour to making $39 an hour when she first started as a journeyman laborer. She didn’t start as an apprentice because she had some experience in a pre-apprenticeship program. Dewberry has been able to save money and put her son into a good school.

For other women who are considering going into the construction industry, she has this advice: If they have the drive, it’s something they want to do, if they like working with their hands and like getting dirty and have the ability and the math skills, then go for it.

“It’s not easy, but it’s not hard. You can definitely get through it. If you can get through the first two, sometimes four years, the pre-apprenticeship and trainings and everything, then you’ll definitely be good,” she said.

Dewberry encourages other women who are in the construction industry who might be ready to give up to keep going, because the benefits are good.

"We are seeing a spotlight on women who make meaningful and impactful contributions to the construction industry every single day," said Jay Rowell, Executive Director of HIRE360. "These skilled tradeswomen not only build our infrastructure and our homes but they inspire the next generation of young women to pursue their dreams in construction. The stories of women in construction need to be told."

For more information about Hire360 Chicago, visit https://hire360chicago.com.

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