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Longtime construction company owner Anastasia Gonzales of Siteworx Solutions recently returned from an experience she won’t soon forget, the Caterpillar Women In Construction Challenge.

Hosted March 13-14 in Clayton, North Carolina, the event brought together 18 women representing Caterpillar dealerships throughout the Americas to compete in state-of-the-art skills tests, gain insights into the latest industry trends and network with peers.

“The event is a celebration of female machine operators who build our world, advocate and drive awareness for their trade, and highlight solutions that address job site needs,” Caterpillar marketing manager Chrissy Metz said. “Each competitor demonstrates advanced abilities operating the latest Cat construction machines and technologies, showing the world the invaluable role women play in the construction industry.”

Gonzales said she was representing Thompson Caterpillar of Manchester, which sponsored her trip.

For more than a decade, Gonzales’s businesses has specialized in working from dirt up to a building’s foundation.

“I have a concrete crew and an asphalt crew,” she said. “We can do everything from parking lots, to the foundation of the building.”

“We deal with water routing, ditches, utilities like running water pipes and I am also septic certified, so everything that is in the ground, up to the parking lot or foundation, I usually do that,” Gonzales added.

When it comes to the Caterpillar event, Gonzales said she is glad she was able to attend and get some hands on experience with some of the latest construction equipment from Caterpillar.

“They let us run machines that we have not ran, that nobody has ran yet,” she said. “Completely new models and everyone had to figure it out within so many minutes how to operate this machine.”

The skills tests included expertise on a small wheel loader, compact track loader and small hydraulic excavator. Along with the tests, the women participated in a panel discussion where they shared best practices, discussed managing a successful career in a male-dominated industry, and discussed the importance of recruiting more female operators and technicians into the workforce.

“It was an incredible experience being the only business owner among the participants,” Gonzales said. “I got to engage in various events, from machine maneuvers to loading trucks. It was challenging yet thrilling.”

It was around the Great Recession of 2007 when Gonzales decided she wanted to make a career switch from nursing to owning her own construction company.

“At that point I figured if everything crashes, the base and the National Guard, they are going to be servicing roads, parking lots and things like that,” Gonzales said. “At that point they didn’t have enough contractors that were doing it and I kind of assumed that is almost bullet proof.”

Now closing in on nearly two decades in the construction business, Gonzales said there were times when it wasn’t easy being a woman in the male-dominated construction industry.

“Initially getting started I think there were a lot of people kind of second guessing the thought and mainly just because they haven’t seen anyone in this field and I was really young, I was in my 20s….but over the years it has gotten a lot better,” she said. “I would say the first three years were the hardest in just getting people to believe that hey, we can do a good job, as much as not better than anyone else.”

When it comes representation in the construction industry, Gonzales said progress has been made, but there is still work to do.

“Women bring a unique perspective and skillset to the table, and there’s plenty of room for us to contribute and excel in shaping the future of construction,” she said.

As for advice to other women interested in a career in the construction industry, Gonzales said she just wants to encourage other women to know that they can do it.

“My message to other women is simple: don’t be afraid to pursue your passion for construction,” Gonzales said. “It is an incredibly rewarding field with endless opportunities for growth and innovation. Believe in yourself, work hard and you’ll find success in this industry.”