Women in Construction week is the first full week in March. Currently, only 13% of employees in the construction industry are female, according to Construction Coverage. By highlighting women involved in the trade, we hope to increase the number of women in construction and the growing role they play in the industry.
Inga Filice is the president and majority owner of Tri-State Electric & Utility, Inc., an electrical contractor in Utah and Arizona.
“We have a great team,” Inga said. “We’ve got some amazing people that work with us. Just to be able to get up and be excited about going to work every day, loving who you work with, and then what we do, is a blessing. The cool part about what we do is being able to see our end product, driving through town or other parts of the state and saying, ‘We did that. I remember that job.’”
More than anything, Inga appreciates the people she’s come to know in the business through her circle of influence.
“Truly what business is all about is relationships,” Inga said. “I think that’s the most rewarding part for my husband and I and for our children to be able to see.”
Inga has been around construction for most of her life and feels at home as a woman in the industry.
“Growing up around it, I always felt like one of the guys,” Inga said. “I didn’t see myself as different because I was a girl. I really didn’t, and I still don’t. I feel like we’re all just one big team. It’s kind of like coming from home with family and going to another family where it’s a mix of men and women.”
Going from site to site and working on different projects with so many diverse individuals has been very rewarding for Inga.
“I think for me that’s the best part, feeling like we’re contributing to the communities and the society in which we live, helping to improve traffic-flow safety,” Inga said. “It feels good to be a part of building the infrastructure of the state. I feel overly blessed and really lucky to have been able to do what I do.
“It’s all rewarding – even some of the tough times. Learning things the hard way and being told no by a lot of people is rewarding. The more you put in hard work and learning, the easier it is to improve your own situation and create opportunities.”
To do that, Inga advises everyone to give 110% to their work, no matter what position they hold.
“Just love the job you’re at right now,” Inga said. “The more you do that, the more opportunities you’ll create for yourself. You’ll see doors open up that you didn’t know were there. Find joy in your work every day that you live, and you’ll see your career take shape.”
