Her Story
About Jaime
Jaime Marks serves as a document controller for IPS, a Berkshire Hathaway company, on the Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical plant project in Clayton, North Carolina. She entered the construction industry in 2012 after starting with Bechtel on infrastructure projects such as AT&T cell tower upgrades and Google Fiber installations, later contributing to nuclear and polyethylene plant work. Marks previously worked as a permit technician for the city of Walnut Creek, California, and as an office manager for Stantec in Raleigh, overseeing operations for 115 staff. Her expertise spans construction management, document control, and pharmaceuticals. She draws on a family background in the industry and advises young women entering the field to advocate for themselves and support one another. Marks participates in community initiatives including Habitat for Humanity.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jaime
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I was once told by a field engineer to not let perfect be the enemy of good. A lot of times what can happen is you can get so caught up on a task and having it be perfect... if you refuse to be flexible and learn to pivot and think outside the box and look for solutions then you could get stagnant very quickly.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I want young women to know that there is every available opportunity for them if they remain strong in their convictions and they advocate for themselves. Know your worth and then add tax. You are just as capable and you are just as valuable as the male counterparts... look for your fellow women in the workforce because rather than being in direct competition with each other, we're a neck of support, of ideas, of collaboration, of growth.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Some of the biggest challenges are logistical. There are a lot of things that you do in construction that are predicated upon someone doing their job correctly and efficiently before you, and someone doing their job correctly and efficiently after you. You're not working in a vacuum... something that's rewarding is being part of a bigger whole... building something that can completely change the environment, something that can change the economic opportunities and prosperities of an area.
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