As part of a series featuring women in the concrete industry, Concrete Contractor has queried a few individuals to represent various aspects of the job and share their points of view on the industry.
Kilah Engelke is the Business Manager of the Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ International Association Local 599 representing the state of Wisconsin. In 2012 she was awarded with a Woman of Distinction award from The Women in Concrete Alliance, a networking organization for women in the concrete industry. Concrete Contractor connected with Engelke mid-January 2025.
Q. What got you interested in the concrete industry?
My interest happened because of my stepdad. He was an estimator for James Cape & Sons, a big highway paving operation that worked around in the Midwest. We had these long plans from road building projects pasted together in our basement all over the place so he could plan it out. He would always talk about going to the World of Concrete and bidding the projects.
I got put on a crew to pay for college and started watching concrete. My duty was to post up on an intersection and make sure that pedestrians and bicycles stayed off the concrete until it dried. I started working summers right after high school on a paving crew and eventually joined an apprenticeship in the cement masons (OPCMIA) . That eventually led to where I am today.
It was just all by default. I didn’t intend to be a lifelong construction worker or a concrete person. But it fits, you know.
Q. How is today different than what it was before when you started?
When I started, there were very few women. There was another woman on my crew, she was older, like the wise “mother of the crew” lady, and actually a concrete finisher. But there was plenty of days and weeks and years where I was the only girl on the site or me and one other girl. James Cape & Sons was a huge company and there were probably a handful of women, maybe. But I’ve definitely seen a specific interest in areas like human and workforce development that the number has grown.
There’s definitely a huge push and outreach for a different demographic of people to fill the roles. I represent one of the trade unions, but all of the other trade unions, besides for the concrete finishers or the cement masons—everyone, slowly but surely, is implementing things like maternity leave, putting plans into place for helping out with childcare, and huge developments to make sure that these jobs and these careers are available for women.
When I first started, it was a different world. But, I feel the numbers are still low. Concrete finishers is one of the more labor intensive trades. It’s pretty rough on coordinating family life schedule. I think our numbers are growing probably slower than some of the others like the mechanical trades or trades that don’t work with the perishable material that kind of controls how we operate a lot more but there’s a slow but steady increase.
Q. Do you think those challenges of not being able to adhere to a “white collar” schedule are keeping the numbers lower?
I think so. Half of the people that work in our union build roads and half of them build buildings, but we all are pretty “nomadic.” There are some projects that are a few months long. There are some projects that are a few hours long. You’re very mobile but not necessarily very consistent other than going to work long hours. As a parent of young kids I know that’s a challenge. I know it presents a challenge and I know the culture, rightfully so, is not accommodating. There’s not a lot of potential for “I’ll start later today,” and then stay later. If you’re not there, you’re not making money, number one. That’s a culture thing. I know why, and I understand why it works like that because it’s tough. It’s intense. It’s hard work. There’s lots to do. Anything can happen at any point in time to make things turn. I think those dynamics in the industry, in our sector of the industry, definitely present barriers.
Q. What are some of the bigger challenges that you faced throughout your career? How had you overcome them?
I’ll be honest, the challenges that I’ve faced were internal—my own perceptions of what I thought I could do or couldn’t do. It’s been coined as imposter syndrome. I’ve heard a lot of different leadership and discussions where all the people around you are men and they’re big, strong, rough, and burly when that’s not necessarily what you are. You definitely feel different.
I can even think back to the first days when I was working on a crew where I might have even cried because I was like, “I’m never going to make it through this alive.” But looking back, none of that stuff got easier. I just got better at it.
Maybe it was that I needed to use leverage differently, like physics. Maybe I needed to become physically stronger in certain areas but that doesn’t mean that I couldn’t do it. It’s the same for everybody. That’s why I say, no matter what, when you’re beginning, it’s hard for people. But, as a non-traditional type of person, I feel like I would have been my own biggest barrier. I never really realized that until I continued to move forward or grow in my role, especially with the union.
My biggest challenge would be knowing in myself that I’m supposed to be here. This is where I can be. I was always a really hard worker. The people around me were really hard workers, and I never wanted to be somebody that was “I’m just here.” My stepdad put me on a crew; I didn’t want to but that’s how I got in. I always had it in my mind that that’s not why I was going to stay. People were willing to help me and teach me. I was coachable. Trainable. I wanted to be good at it. I wanted to do everything that everybody did and eventually I could.
I would say my biggest challenge was internal mindset.
Q. How do you fight that imposter syndrome?
Kilah Engelke, Business Manager of the Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ International Association Local 599Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ International Association Local 599
I was elected by my members to be the leader of the union in Wisconsin. That’s something that I continue to tell myself that when there’s something I need to be able to figure out, [people before me] have figured it out before, so I can come to some type of reasonable decision, make a conclusion, or take action.
I’m very good at leaning on the people around me, seeking advice from others, and seeking counsel from others. I’m not afraid to ask questions. I’m not afraid to reach out if I’m bombarded or feel like I’m drowning or struggling. Just knowing that you can count on the people around you and trusting in that they want you to be here too. It’s internal self-talk but also making sure I’m connected to different resources, as far as help from my team, my people.
Q. How long is your elected position?
I started as a business rep in 2018. Our terms are three years. I completed my second term as a business agent in our local. I was the recording secretary for those two terms, which was six years, and then I took over as the business manager in July. I’m also a business agent representing Milwaukee, but my officer role for our union, which is Business Manager, started in July of last year.
Every three years our officers, our reps, change over or don’t. That’s what keeps you fighting and improving yourself and trying to always do what’s best for members. I like to say that, in the Union, we handle the business of your life. We fight for the contract. We administer benefits. We do that kind of stuff for so that what you have to do is think about going to work, being safe at work, and performing the work to the best of your ability. We’re here to help with all that so that you don’t really have to think about. If I do a good job, hopefully they keep me around.
Q. That’s a big difference between watching concrete. Remind yourself of that.
Huge difference and a huge honor. That’s really exciting. It’s an added bonus that I happen to be a woman because of what it says for other people, women, people of color, or any underrepresented demographics regardless of shape, size, gender. Anybody that wants to do it and is committed to doing a good job, can do it.
Q. What is one of your favorite stories from throughout your career? How has that affected your work?
There was a point in time when I was a young, I was an apprentice and chasing a paver. It’s hot and humid, and just a rough day. My job was to keep up one edge. There was people bull floating and straight edging or bump cutting, and there was somebody on the other edge. But I was on the edge, walking backwards and tripped over my bucket, which had water in it. I fell down, scraped my elbows, my bucket fell on me, and I got totally wet.
Then got stung by a bee.
Amidst all of this, the concrete is coming out bad—the whole slab. We’re having to throw water and scrub and throw concrete. It was the worst thing you can imagine.
One of the scariest, meanest, grouchiest old guys went over to the truck, brought me the Band Aid, and basically said, “Come on, get up.” He took time out of what was important that day. A Band Aid wasn’t going to help me at all, but the gesture of it that was something I’ll never forget.
I love telling that story, because it alludes to how the crew comes together, how the people come together, and how the situations that that you’re in together make you really close. It was a really sweet thing for this super grouchy, super mean, super crusty old guy to come and do. I’ll never forget it.
Q. Do you feel your perspective as a woman in concrete lends to your job performance and success?
I feel like the perception that I have is that I don’t consider myself different. I don’t want to be treated differently. I feel like that shines through in what I try to do, how do I try to behave, and how I feel I should be.
I feel like industry-wide, concrete especially, that there’s really no time for anybody to be seeking any type of accommodations. Knowing you know within yourself that you can figure out what you need to figure out. We are built differently but we can take different actions in order to be able to get the same result, right? I’m not different, and that’s how I act. No matter what level we’re talking about, apprenticeship to now, I’m not special because of being a woman or because I’m a little bit different. I feel like that’s critical to success.
Q. What’s happening right now that is getting more women involved in concrete work?
Throughout different levels of the industry where there’s women’s groups and affinity groups popping up all over the place. The one that I work with is called Empower. We developed a mentoring program where we are facilitating or administering a Child Care grant program. There’s a lot of attention industry-wide put on making sure that you can see women that are successful, and that their stories are being told. That their comments are being considered. There’s definitely more effort put towards changing the culture too, whether it’s mental health awareness or anti-harassment—all of those types of issues have been critical to at least try to start to move the needle.
I see women being put into leadership roles at all different levels of the construction industry. You’re definitely going to see more people, whether they’re estimating, project managers, or those that are getting elevated to higher level managers and business reps and instructors.
There’s more of an idea that the whole concept of “if you can see it, you can be it” is real, and it exists. There’s power to it. There’s value to it.
The “Steel Edge Women” of the OPCMIA. Photographed during World of Concrete 2025.
I think it’s our fifth year with an outdoor demo at World of Concrete. The OPCMIA put a huge investment into making sure that our booth is run by women. All the work performed and planned out by women. Everything. The people that you see doing any of the work are all women, so it was a critical investment that they made and it’s something that they’ve been committed to building. Our program has grown every year…but that’s what we do. That’s not super different from a lot of most of the other trades as well.
Q. You’re referring to the OPCMIA Steel Edge Women?
The Steel Edge Women of the OPCMIA was made an official committee in 2019. We’re several years deep into this progressive program and investment to make sure that women know that we have a chance, that we’re welcome, and that the tools are here. We have a strong group of sisters that come together regularly. We meet and advise people. If there’s a situation that you need to figure out how to navigate or ask advice, we have collectively hundreds of years in the business. We’ve all kind of experiences with different things and can help young people navigate or make a decision on how you should make the next step. Advise them how to seek leadership if that’s what they want to do.
I think there’s a big effort and huge attention put on the fact that we need everybody. We don’t just need the same people—the industry is growing in order to make sure that that’s possible.
Q. Where do you think women can find the most opportunity to break into concrete?
As a union rep and as someone that went through an apprenticeship myself, I feel like apprenticeship is the way to go. It’s training that you’ll have forever. As somebody that has to find people to fill these roles for the future, anybody that’s interested there’s ways you can contact us and find out.
With an apprenticeship, you earn while you learn. Your schooling is paid for. You don’t have to have student loans or cough up any money to get involved in a part of a program. Day one, you’re on the job. That says something about how critically we need to fill these roles and keep people retained once they’re there.
My best advice is to seek out an apprenticeship and make sure that you come with the skills, including being punctual, being committed, being teachable and coachable. There’s groups like Empower all over the country that are available, that make it a little bit easier to talk to people that look like you, that have also gone through this process, or that at one point we’re sitting there thinking to themselves, “maybe I’d like to be in construction, and I just don’t know where the right spot is but I am a little intimidated.” What I’m saying is it’s less intimidating. There are groups available to help you make the right choice or narrow down based on real life experiences. The opportunities are really endless at this point.
I like to relate to people. I thought I was going to college. I thought I was going to become a dentist. I thought I was going to follow in footsteps and whatever. I just didn’t. But I just didn’t have fun. I was an athlete in high school and the president of the National Honor Society. I never would have thought I’m going to be on a road crew for a couple years. Looking back, this was a great decision, because now I’m 26 to 27 years into this. I like to be competitive. I like to be outside and I didn’t mind working hard.
Q. What has been the best advice you’ve received? How did this advice help?
I think the best advice would probably be, “you’re not on time, unless you’re 15 minutes early.” That transpired into not necessarily just the specifics of it or literally like “it’s 6:45 I should be here getting ready” but figuratively into a lot of other things – like being prepared and being ready.
That was something that my stepdad would always say, “you’re not on time, unless you’re 15 minutes early.” That’s something that I try to impose on for young kids, people that are just starting, or apprentices. When I hear them tell stories on what’s happening, it goes back to “how committed are you to this?” Am I getting paid for those 15 minutes? No but in those 15 minutes I stretched, I was able to get myself together and have my tools ready and prepared. I found a reasonable parking spot. All of these things that happen to make sure that you’re going to have a good day.
That translates not into just physically being on the jobsite, but that translates into right now. Did I take a few minutes to look over the questions before we talked about this? Did I take some time to prepare for the class I’m about to teach? All of that I feel like helped get me in the right mindset and contributes to work ethic. Work ethic in the construction industry is what gets you places.
Q. What message or what advice would you have for concrete contractors?
I worked for this one contractor for a long time, probably 13 years. I considered myself probably one of their best employees. Was always on time. Always prided myself on never being late. It was one of my last days working there, going from the field and into my role as a business rep, he said, “If I knew you were never going to have kids, I would have made you a foreman a long time ago.”
I understood it. It’s kind of a backwards compliment, but not really. My advice to the contractors of the future would be to not look necessarily at things that you might consider as accommodations as downfalls. Making the industry and the workplace suited to make sure that people feel welcome, happy, and appreciated will probably be critical to the success that you find in the future.
I talk to contractors a lot who say, “I need people, but I need people with these experiences.” And they have a really harsh outlook, but like when he this gentleman said that to me, but I wouldn’t have changed anything. I understood what he was saying, because there needs to be a commitment level.
At the same time, you want good people that make good choices, that are happy in what they do. Open your mind to who you think is the right person to be a leader. Find good leadership qualities in different types of people might be something that would make you a little bit more successful in your search for your crew of the future.
Ask “How can I do things differently to attract the type of people that I want?” Open the mind a little bit to what your expectations are about how you can make things work.
Q. What research, technology or innovation has caught your interest recently? What impact do you think that’ll have?
There’s a lot of talk about and a lot of hype on 3D printing. That’s pretty interesting to me and that will possibly be impactful in the industry. In my role right now, we’re manpower people, right? So, the 3D printing thing is kind of taking away a lot of the manpower potentially. I know there’s possibly applications where it could never replace people but, when something like that big is on the horizon, it’s something I feel that we have to keep our eye on.
Culturally, mental health is a big thing about how the industry going to navigate. There’s alarming numbers with suicide in the construction industry and mental health issues and how we go about fixing it and making sure people are healthy. I feel like it’s definitely possible to call that innovative, as far as how we’re going to manage the mental health crisis.
We know it’s a problem. We can see it as a problem. How are we going to change that?
View the original article and our Inspiration here
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