Speaker: Robin L Sheldon, President, R&R Window Contractors, Inc.
What is your name and what do you do for work?
Robin L Sheldon: Hi, my name is Robin Sheldon, I am the president of a medium sized construction company. We have an annual revenue around 20 million a year.
How did you get into your current role? Consider schooling, training, and experience
Robin L Sheldon: I got into the construction industry by working from the ground up as a senior in high school, and was offered an opportunity to work on weekends at a project at the Portsmouth Naval Base in New Hampshire. I realized at that point that I could graduate high school and make enough money to live independently. I enjoyed the work and I enjoyed the challenge. I especially enjoyed doing a task that very few women were doing at the time.
What is the most rewarding aspect of the job?
Robin L Sheldon: The most rewarding part of the project or of this job is people. The collaboration of so many people from the laborers all the way up to the architect could complete a project that we can all be proud of.
What is the biggest challenge for someone in your line of work?
Robin L Sheldon: The biggest challenge in my line of work is also what was the most rewarding. It's the people, it's encouraging people to understand that we're all working for the same goal and that if we collaborate, we communicate and we work hard together, then we can make this to be a successful company and a successful project.
What is your advice for students thinking about entering this field?
Robin L Sheldon: There are so many avenues that people can take to get into construction. I explained previously that I basically jumped in with both feet into the field and worked my way up from being a labor to being the president of the company with about 12 different stops in between. A great way to do it. The owners of this company started at a vocational school. They were In the Carpentry Department for four years. Another way to do it. If you want to get into the management portion, there is a lot of construction management classes that could help you a lot of times. Those are at community colleges and or four year universities, pick something in construction that you have an interest in. If you're afraid of heights, Then installing windows on a 12 story building may not be for you. However, if you like to be outdoors a lot and you don't mind heights, well, maybe being a mason is for you putting the brick all the way up on the building, There's no one right way or wrong way.
