In honor of Women In Construction Week, we’re highlighting some of the fantastic women who make Warfel a great place to work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics expects available jobs in STEM fields to increase 17% by 2024, but only 18 – 19% of individuals receiving degrees in computer science, engineering, or physics are women. Check out our featured employee today (Facilities Manager Casi Babinchak), and follow along all week as we learn more about the team members who make Warfel a leader in the construction management industry.
Describe what you do at Warfel: I manage short-term construction turnover and renovation projects for residential, retail, office and other facilities.
Where did you go to school? I have degrees from Elizabethtown College and Loyola University of Maryland.
How long have you worked at Warfel? 6 months
What did you do before you came to Warfel? I am so fortunate to have had a long and winding career path that has provided me with management experience in a variety of arenas. My realization of my love for construction project management came when I was serving as the COO for The Central Market House Company in York and had the opportunity to function as an owner’s rep for a grant-funded renovation.
What is your favorite part of your job? The opportunity to face new challenges on a daily basis and solve problems as a team while focusing on quality management and building a relationship that results in a Client for Life.
What is the worst job you ever had? The foundation of my career path has been based on my belief that there is, for the most part, no such thing as a bad job. I have always believed that it is the learnings you take from each job that serve to strengthen the stepping stones to the next, making you not only more experienced and knowledgeable, but also more savvy about what roles are the best fit.
What advice would you give someone applying to Warfel? Be authentic in your interview.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career? Stay organized, don’t say “that’s not my job”, be responsive, and do your job in a way that makes the people you come in contact with want to work with you again.
What has changed the most since you’ve started your career? Technology! It’s so hard to imagine now how I worked in the mid-90s without email, GPS and a cell phone.
What’s your favorite part of working in the construction industry? Creating spaces that allow people to live, work and play more efficiently and beautifully.
What do you think is the most challenging part of the construction industry? Challenging, albeit necessary, the bureaucratic oversight that is involved in the process can impact plans and schedules.
If you could switch jobs with someone, who would it be/what would you do? I would travel to do profiles pieces on the athletes, their families and their hometowns for NBC’s Olympic coverage.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Traveling and spending time at home with my husband Mike, daughter Alex (18), son Luke (16) and our dog Wilson. I also enjoy cooking, reading, Netflix, watching my kids play sports and getting together for cocktails with girlfriends.
What’s a fun fact about you that we might not know? I have been to the State of the Union Address and the White House Christmas Party.
You can learn more about the statistics of Women in Construction here.