Acres is celebrating ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ค by highlighting the contributions of the wonderful women that make up our team!
Get to know Sathika Witharana, a Project Coordinator in Acresโ Civil Department who was first introduced to the construction industry while on an internship as a field engineer.
๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ.
My role consists of analyzing costs, coordinating subcontractors, site visits, problem solving for projects I am involved in and helping the estimators with tendering. While working with Acres I have been involved in civil works for subdivisions, an infiltration basin, landfills, and a creek crossing.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง?
I was introduced to the construction industry while working an internship as a field engineer at the Red Deer Interchange project. I was lucky to have some great mentors and during that time I realized that I love being able to work in both the office and the field while seeing daily progress of our crews. I also realized that there was an endless amount of learning opportunities that I did not learn directly from my degree in engineering. Construction brings together people from different educational backgrounds with a variety of skills to achieve a common goal โ to construct a project.
Some days I found myself working closely with carpenters to understand all the components and production aspects of how formwork is installed and other days I was doing take-offs in the office to help the superintendent. After that project I decided I wanted to stay in the industry and see where it takes me!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฃ๐จ๐?
I enjoy that every project I get to work on is unique in its own way and my role consists of different tasks every day. Some days I am on site looking at progress and coordinating with the superintendent. While other days I might be working closely with a project manager problem solving or discussing efficiencies.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ?
It can be intimidating stepping into a male dominated industry but be approachable, donโt be afraid to ask questions and be keen to learn. Every day is different and there is always a lot to learn in the industry.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎโ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ?
Being a 5ft tall female of color in the industry I certainly stick out like a sore thumb. During some of my jobs in the industry I found it difficult to give direction and provide feedback to field employees. I always thought, โhow am I supposed to give feedback and criticize their work when they are the experts in the field?โ I soon realized, most times if I understood and was able to explain why something had to be changed rather than simply giving direction to change something in the field, the workers were able to see me as part of the team rather than an outsider simply making their job harder.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐?
I am proud of all the projects to date that I have had the chance to contribute to and work on. From road construction, bridges, a hydro electric dam, oil mines to now developments, I have had the chance to work all over BC and Alberta while continuously learning and meeting a variety of individuals from different trades and backgrounds!ย
