In recognition of Women in Construction Week, it’s refreshing to see industry professionals like Savana Sylvester paving the way for more women to join and thrive in this field. Sylvester, a certified crane operator currently working with Lunda Construction on bridge projects, is not your typical on-the-job trainee. With a wealth of experience behind her, including certifications for both small and large cranes earned in Oklahoma City, she landed her job with Lunda with a confident phone call, prompting operations manager Ryan O’Gary to hire her on the spot, as reported in an interview by Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
Now part of MnDOT’s on-the-job training program and an apprentice through the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49, Sylvester embraces the community spirit of her construction realm. “The construction community might be intimidating to look at from the outside,” Sylvester told MnDOT, “But once you’re here, everybody’s willing to help. And they want to help you, especially if you go through a union pathway, which would be the best way.” She emphasizes the value of union support and training programs that equip new entrants with the necessary skills to steadily grow and choose their desired path within the industry.
Moving beyond the traditional scope of cranes, Sylvester expresses a preference for the lattice boom crane over the hydraulic variant. According to Sylvester’s description in the MnDOT bulletin, it’s not just about lifting heavier loads; the lattice boom crane’s stability and ease of travel, courtesy of its track-based mobility over tires, place it as her machine of choice. This intricacy of operation, as much as the collective process of construction, seems to fuel her enthusiasm for the job…