In Her Boots: Jenny Young

Through Q&A articles and Instagram Takeovers, our "In Her Boots" series is designed to showcase and provide an inside look at what a day in the life is like in the shoes (or boots) of some of the exceptional women at Clark. 

Today we’re featuring Jenny Young. Jenny, who joined the Clark team four years ago, is an assistant superintendent on the Armature Works project in Washington, DC.

Tell us a little bit about your role at Clark.

I'm currently working as a field leader on the Armature Works project in DC's NoMa neighborhood, a mixed-use development that will feature 640 apartment units, a 200-room hotel, 60,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.  

I've been part of the Armature Works team since project started and have worked in the field since the beginning – from demolition, to support-of-excavation and excavation, to concrete. 

Now, I'm in the process of transitioning to lead efforts on the exterior façade and site work. In this role, I'll be managing the schedule, performing quality control on the different façade materials, and working through constructability and logistics challenges.

What drew you to a career in the construction industry?

I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in architecture and civil engineering. Part of me wanted to go into design, but the more I learned about construction, the more interested I became in how buildings come together, from the overall schedule to understanding the sequence of individual activities.

Also, I love the energy of being on a jobsite. Each day is different, and it’s incredibly gratifying and humbling to see areas progress or to finally achieve a big milestone! 

What qualities do you need to be successful in the industry? 

While a lot of what we do is creating a plan and sticking to it, you also need to learn to be adaptive. Sometimes circumstances force us to pivot, and being flexible and responsive is critical to finding a solution.

What is your proudest professional achievement? 

I’ll never forget turning over my first residential project, West End Square 37 in downtown Washington, DC. I ran the unit build-out and residential finishes from the beginning. After months of effort coordinating the trades (and maybe even picking up a paintbrush myself), it was so rewarding to see moving trucks pull up outside and families move into their new home.

What advice do you have for a young woman looking to enter the industry?

I have three pieces of advice for a young woman looking to join the construction industry.

1. You deserve a seat at the table as much as anybody else. Be confident in your knowledge!

2. There’s plenty of room to have fun and enjoy work every day. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.

3. Be eager to learn and ask questions. Our trade partners are our biggest resources, and they’re proud of what they do. Don’t be afraid to ask “how” and “why.”

Check out our Instagram Story as Jenny shows us what a day is like in her boots.