Meet our Industry Person of the Week Brittany Gentilhomme, Superintendent for R.C. Mathews.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Brittany: I graduated from college with no job and no real plan for how to use my degree. I moved back home and found part time work. I bounced around several different jobs in the first 2 years. One of the jobs I ended up in was landscaping. I worked on a maintenance crew for year and actually loved it. This opportunity was just supposed to be a summer job but it was so much more. It was the first time I truly loved the work I was doing; the first time an employer started future planning with me and the first time I saw a real career path before me. But after a year, as an impatient 23-year old, I left that job to find better and try using the degree that I spent so much money to get. It lead to a dead end job in an industry I wasn’t passionate about. I only stayed for 5 months. From there, I started evaluating what I wanted for a career. My dad has always been someone I looked up to and admired what he did. He was a commercial superintendent for a general contractor. I grew up going to his job sites whenever I was allowed to skip school. But he felt stuck in the industry and never wanted his kids to feel the same so he always pushed us to higher education and different career paths. After he saw how much I enjoyed landscaping and how hard I was willing to work; he asked if I was interested in construction as a serious career option. So from that conversation, I wrote a resume to try to high light my potential and not show my lack of experience and training. I interviewed with the same GC my dad worked for and was hired to learn. It is such an amazing opportunity when a company takes a chance on you to break into a new industry. I stayed with the company for two years and build the foundation of my career there.
Q: What do you love the most about your job? What are you most proud of?
Brittany: I like the variety and the problem solving that is involved daily. As a general contractor, you are managing schedule, people, quality and budget so any number of problems can pop up in a day and every project will have unique solutions. I am most proud of my work with the National Association of Women in Construction in Nashville, to support other women in construction, grow a community in an industry that is male dominated and reach the next generation with opportunities to explore construction as a career path.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?
Brittany: There are so many different skillsets needed in construction right now. There is a place for everyone if you want to be a part of this industry. It just takes finding the right job and company. I can’t speak for all other industries, but I know in construction, no matter what role you are in, you need a strong work ethic and the ability to show up. If you keep showing up, working hard and seeking out a supportive network, you will be successful. With a high demand for construction and the shortage of skilled labor, the opportunities are almost endless.
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Brittany: My most recent project completed was a multifamily development just outside of downtown Nashville. It included 340 apartments, retail space, a parking garage and a lot complicated exterior courtyard and hardscape spaces. The building is near the MLS Stadium so the walls, windows and doors all had special sound ratings. It was a really interesting project. By far the biggest one I have been a part of and the team was great to work with. I learned a lot while working on that project.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
Brittany: There are always transferrable skills. If you are trying to enter a new industry or even a new position, there are always skills that you have learned that can be used to show potential strengths for your new role.
Connect with Brittany on Instagram @builderwithabow or LinkedIn Brittany Gentilhomme
THANK YOU, BRITTANY! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
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