Mid-States Concrete Industries celebrates Women in Construction Week (March 6 – 12) by highlighting women on our team making their mark in the construction industry.
Today we feature Senior Structural Engineer Tara Loomis, PE. Tara has been on the Mid-States team for just over three years and has been in engineering roles since 1999. In her previous role, she served as Engineer of Record.
As a kid, Tara loved playing with blocks, Legos, and anything she could build with. When she reached college, she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to study and found herself exploring different classes. It was actually her inability to learn Spanish that led Tara to Engineering – the only major that didn’t require a foreign language.
“When I got there, I excelled and it was meant to be,” she said.
As a young engineer, Tara was extremely shy. As a female in a male-dominated industry, it can be very intimidating. However, through the years of being singled out for that reason, she found her voice. She learned to step out of her comfort zone, and this shaped her into the professional she is today.
“When you’re surrounded by sportscoats and often the only female in the room, you have to find that voice and speak up,” she said.
What Tara loves about her job is that every project is a new challenge. She loves digging into a project and being part of the solution.
“I like the diversity of changing projects along with working with different clients,” she said. “I never solve the same puzzle twice.”
As part of Mid-States Concrete’s Preconstruction Team, Tara provides valuable early design-assistance to our customers. This is one of the things we think sets us apart from others in the industry.
“I enjoy what I do here,” she said. “… Laying systems out, taking the challenges of flipping a post-tension system to a precast system, working with architects and engineers… trying to find the most economic precast option for our clients.”
One of the great things about the construction industry, is that it is so open-ended. There are so many places you can go and so many different jobs and opportunities. It’s versatile so you can move around, even within the company, Tara said.
When it comes to offering advice to other women looking to enter the field, Tara suggests knowing your worth and asking for what you need. Find your voice, stand your ground, step outside your comfort zone, always try to raise the bar, and find a mentor to champion your contributions.