Local woman breaking glass ceilings for women in the construction business

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - One local woman is breaking the status quo in the construction business.

Megan Cordingly is one of several strong women in the community. Not only is it International Women’s Day, but it is also Women in Construction Week.

Cordingly says her 6-year experience in construction has been empowering, and that it is a privilege to represent women in a male-dominated industry.

“Women were in this industry before me, so I need to make sure that I am standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Cordingly. “They forged a path- let me continue to be a mentor for other women that are thinking about this industry.”

Cordingly is a project controls specialist for HPM where she’s been blazing trails for women in construction.

“I build in the virtual world so that our engineers, field coordinators and project managers can build in the physical world. Anything I can do for process improvements or making procedures or paperwork or all the administrative work easier or better yet automotive, is something I love to do,” she explained.

She says her love for construction took root as a little girl after helping her father with his own construction business.

“The stripes you see in parking lots or the blocks that you see that keep you from driving through the spot- and when you see a nice fresh black surface-- that was my dad’s company, he did that kind of work. He had five girls, and we all pitched in and helped with that company just because we loved to help dad,” she stated.

Megan has worked on local projects including the current Airbus expansion project.

She says she’s overcome obstacles to get to this point.

“I really had to make sure I made myself undeniable- here’s my skill set, here’s how I can help, here is what I can do, and just make sure that I continue to prove that overtime,” she said.

Over the the past few years, she says she is encouraged by the progress and acceptance of women in her profession.

“Today I feel very differently than I did when I first started- I really think it’s because of things like this-where people are highlighting women in construction and celebrating women in the industry.”

Cordingly wants all women to know that there’s no limit to what they can do.

“I hope that in a few years- maybe it’s not so uncommon for a woman in construction to be someone in the industry,” she concluded.

Cordingly says construction isn’t just limited to a hard hat and physical labor, and that there are endless opportunities in the field.

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