In 2014, Samantha Trumbetti joined Skanska USA Civil as an intern. Today, she serves as a Project Manager at New York City’s Hunts Point wastewater treatment plant.
As a woman in construction focused on active mentoring, she shared answers to questions about her career journey and advice for others looking to advance, grow, and successfully tackle today’s complex projects.
My career with Skanska USA Civil began in 2014 when I joined as a summer engineering intern while still in college, contributing to a range of projects before coming on board full time. Through several internships, I gained experience on major infrastructure initiatives, including the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, the Kosciuszko Bridge, and the LaGuardia Airport redevelopment. That early, hands-on experience was foundational and allowed me to learn both the technical and human sides of construction.
I began my full-time career in 2017 as a Field Engineer on the LaGuardia Airport redevelopment program. Over time, I progressed through the roles of Project Engineer and Assistant Project Manager before stepping into my current position as Project Manager. With each transition, my responsibilities expanded from overseeing daily field operations to leading teams and managing risk, budgets, and long-term project outcomes.
Today, I lead multidisciplinary teams and oversee project delivery, managing key aspects such as budgeting, scheduling, subcontractor coordination, and value engineering for major infrastructure projects.
| Your local Gomaco dealer |
|---|
| Fabick CAT/MO |
| Road Machinery and Supplies Company |
| Fabick CAT/MO |
| Road Machinery and Supplies Company |
My advice is to focus on building credibility through preparation, consistency, and follow-through. Construction is a hands-on industry, and there is no substitute for field experience. Spend time asking questions, walking the job, and understanding how the work is built, not just how it looks on paper.
What has helped me most is mentorship and learning to navigate conflict constructively. Engineering school teaches technical skills, but it doesn’t teach you how to manage disagreements, negotiate solutions, or address issues directly. Becoming comfortable being uncomfortable and understanding that conflict can be productive has been one of the most important skills in my career.
I would also say that mistakes are part of growth. What matters is how you respond, what you learn, and how you improve moving forward. Construction is a demanding industry, and confidence develops over time through experience, not perfection.
The Skanska Women’s Network (SWN) is an internal employee resource group focused on supporting, connecting, and advancing women across the organization. The network creates space for mentorship, professional development programming, and candid conversations about career progression, leadership, and work-life balance.
| Your local Takeuchi Mfg Ltd dealer |
|---|
| Kirby-Smith Machinery |
| Star Equipment LTD |
| Kirby-Smith Machinery |
| Star Equipment LTD |
Through events, panels, and peer connections, SWN helps women build relationships across offices and job sites, connections that might not otherwise happen in a project-based environment. That sense of community is powerful. It reinforces that women in construction are not isolated; they are part of a broader network of leaders and peers who are invested in each other’s growth.
I am an active participant and advocate within the network, with a particular focus on mentoring early-career engineers and supporting women in field-facing roles. Through the network, I’ve been able to meet more colleagues across different business units, which is great for networking and building relationships. The network reinforces that there are multiple paths to leadership at Skanska USA Civil and fosters a strong sense of community and continuity across all stages of a career.
In addition, I co-developed Skanska’s Project Engineering Boot Camp, a structured training and development program designed to introduce project engineers to the expectations of their current role as well as future project management roles. The idea was to expose all project engineers to the same concepts and help them identify areas of opportunity and even further training needs.
The program combines technical training with practical insights on Skanska’s project control methods, scheduling, safety, and commercial management, as well as softer skills like an introduction to leading people, communication, and stakeholder relations.
| Your local Iowa Mold Tooling Co Inc dealer |
|---|
| Star Equipment LTD |
| Star Equipment LTD |
In my role, I mentor and guide participants, sharing lessons learned from complex projects to help them navigate both field and office environments. The program aims to build clarity, confidence, and a strong foundation early in an engineer’s career, setting them up for long-term success.
I wish more companies understood that women in construction are not looking for exceptions; they’re looking for opportunity, support, and flexibility that acknowledges full lives outside of work.
The industry is evolving, with noticeable improvements in parental leave policies, flexibility, and representation in leadership. These changes benefit everyone, not just women. Retaining and promoting talent, however, still requires ongoing openness. Companies that acknowledge that priorities can shift at different life stages and foster environments where those conversations are welcomed, rather than stigmatized, set themselves up for long-term success.
Ultimately, construction thrives on problem-solving and innovation. Embracing diverse perspectives and including more women in field-facing and leadership roles only strengthens our ability to deliver complex projects successfully.
