Celebrating Women in the Construction Industry

Throughout her professional life, people have consistently underestimated Ellen Way – at their peril. While many women in the workplace battle old, outdated stereotypes, this has been particularly true in the field of construction where Way has been a trailblazer throughout her 35-plus year career.
 
It was a career that started on a Boston construction site in 1979, when Way became one of the first women to join the local laborer’s union, and quickly began shattering expectations of the men she worked with.
 
“I am physically strong for my size,” Way said. “Consistently when I would hand someone something heavy … They would assume based on my size that it wouldn’t weigh as much. And a couple of times they almost fell.”

Today, more than 40 years later, Way is still shattering stereotypes, though her success is less of a surprise to those she works with. She has served as senior superintendent and now director of field operations for Shangri-La Construction, one of the region’s leading construction firms focused on affordable and sustainable development. Way’s LEED AP certification distinguishes her as a green building expert who implements sustainable practices and helps reduce environmental impact in construction of new buildings.
The fit with Shangri-La is a natural one for Way. The company tag line is: “Build a Different Way.” As a female in such a male-dominated field, that has always been the mode of operation for Way.  Having resisted being put into a box in terms of career path, thinking outside the box is her natural way to approach building.  Like Way, Shangri-La is changing expectations about what is possible in the world of efficient and environmentally-friendly construction and design.

What started as a side gig for Way has turned into a boundary-shattering career in an industry that is still struggling to find senior roles for women. From those early days in Boston, Way worked her way from being a laborer to Journeyman carpenter, all the while thinking this would be nothing more than a side gig she could return to throughout her life.

In those early years, she said yes to many gender defying opportunities, including a stint working on a fishing boat in Alaska, and eventually to California where she continued to pursue her passion for music. But her experience in construction went from a way to earn money on the side to a career that continues to blossom and serve as an example for women looking to break into the industry.

She has worked on some of the region’s most iconic projects, including the construction of the Staples Center in Downtown LA, the Los Angeles Central Library (as a carpenter), the light towers at LAX and the rehab of the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood.
Now at Shangri-La, she is helping the company focus on affordable and environmentally friendly development throughout the region, covering everything from housing to hotels to high schools.

As she does, Way is dedicated to paving the way for women in a male-dominated field.

“As a woman in construction, it’s important to provide all women a seat at the table,” she said. “We need to validate each other’s ideas and continue to shatter the glass ceiling in this male-dominated industry.”

Shangri-La Construction is proud to be at the forefront of change in the construction industry, and the advancement of women in the workforce. Shangri-La is continuing to expand what’s possible for women and other underrepresented groups. For more information, please visit shangrilaconstruction.com.

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