By providing unique experiences to position our employees for success, regardless of where they are in their careers, we allow them to grow and develop within the organization. In construction, a career plan is rarely a straight line, and success often comes from embracing new opportunities and challenges.
For Jackie Bates, Senior Business Analyst, her career journey has been shaped by adaptability and curiosity to continuously learn from those around her. From starting in fire protection at just 19 years old to transitioning into service and now IT, Jackie's experience is a testament to the different career pathways available within the AEC industry.
Finding and developing your career plan
Jackie's career at Southland began on the fire protection side, where she worked as a project administrator. Her early exposure to different teams and roles set the foundation for a career that would evolve. When an opportunity arose to become a service coordinator, she jumped at the chance to expand her experience within the organization and industry overall.
Over the years, Jackie's role expanded to account management, where she worked closely with customers and operations teams to refine processes and improve efficiency. Her passion for continuous improvement led her to work with Southland's IT team, tackling process standardization on a national level.
"I really love our company and just wanted to continue to be a driving force for improvement," Jackie shared.
Navigating a construction career
Jackie's career path exemplifies the value of staying open to new roles, experiences, and responsibilities that can lead to long-term success in construction. Her insights offer important lessons for professionals looking to grow within the industry:
Building a career in construction
Jackie's career is a reminder that success is not defined by a rigid career plan, but rather embracing opportunities, staying adaptable, and building strong relationships that guide you toward your goals.
"You have to be honest with your peers, personnel, mentors and those who are helping guide you during your path in order for you to become more successful," she said.
Senior Content Marketing Strategist
As Senior Content Marketing Strategist, Lindsay Janssen manages our content lifecycle. From ideation, creation, and editing through distribution, measurement, and maintenance, and creating a content strategy, she develops new and innovative ideas for our digital marketing channels.
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