Everyday is different in the construction industry. Caitlin Cervello, a construction management trainee at R.H. White Construction in Auburn, loves the pace and excitement of her job.
“What I like is that everyday can be something different,” said Cervello, “Construction is ever changing and it’s fast-paced.”
After getting her bachelors in civil engineering from University of Hartford in 2018 and a masters of engineering this past January, she joined R.H. White’s construction management trainee program. The CMT program is a two-year rotational program with five different rotations, one in project management, site supervision, estimation, safety, and tools.
As an assistant project manager, her current role, she spends time in the office working on projects just as they’re beginning and in the field on projects already in construction.
“The most exciting part [of my job] is that you get to see these projects on paper, and then you get to see them being built, and then you get to see them complete,” said Cervello.
In the office, she is getting in touch with contractors, looking at submittals, and getting familiar with the plans and the contract. Other days, she’s in the field, looking over plans, discussing safety with crews onsite, testing equipment and training, and ensuring quality assurance and control.
Because of the rapid pace, she gets to see her day-to-day efforts add up quickly and watch projects come alive, said Cervello. It keeps things fresh that she’s not always in that same place every day, and every day she has new goals and meets new people – helping to build massive structures, buildings, or infrastructure like water treatment.
Her role includes a lot of coordination with people onsite and in the office which creates a real sense of community.
“I really enjoy working on those day-to-day activities in the field,” said Cervello. “You feel like a part of a team. And being involved on a project, making these [projects] possible.”
Some of Cervello’s work is specifically on water waste treatment facilities, a cause she is passionate about.
“The projects that I’m working on now are more geared towards water and wastewater treatment, and I think that side of it really drives me,” said Cervello.
“We often don’t think about whether your water is clean when you turn on the tap, and it’s an important job and part of society to have clean water,” said Cervello. “Working on those projects really excites me and keeps me motivated.”
