As an Administrative Officer, Sabra Mott lends a hand to several different departments at Texas Materials Group. Here, she explains more about her job and why it has always felt like home.
How did you get started in this industry? I started working road construction as a summer job in 1979 when I was a freshman in high school. I really enjoyed the work and although I started off with beginner job responsibilities, my employer recognized my ambitions and talent and I was trained and certified to operate heavy equipment, including wheel loaders and rollers.
After graduating high school, I continued full time. I was called in to do fine finishes of parking lots all over Austin and the hill country region. Very few were able to be called to finish jobs because it took a very steady hand to keep the machinery from busting up the concrete curbs.
I left the construction industry briefly to work as a bank teller and data processer, but after several years I decided the occupation just wasn’t for me. I realized I never felt fulfilled; I loved working construction and it is where I have always felt at home. So in 1988 I came back to the construction sector, and specifically the aggregate industry, where I’ve been ever since.
What do you do in your current role? For the past 32 years I have supported the Marble Falls Quarry in various roles. My current position is coordinating preventative maintenance on heavy equipment, supporting daily operations and contributing to the overall efficiency of our business by maintaining administrative office and warehouse needs. I process orders, receive and unload freight, and generally keep things moving smoothly.
I’ve also held roles in dispatch and accounting in the past, so I’m familiar with many parts of the business.
What do you enjoy about your job? This job is well-suited to me because I do not like being stuck in a chair in an office. It gives me the freedom to work hand in hand with the guys out in the field, and it is eye-opening to see how what we do here every day – helping build subdivisions, highways, seawalls, and more – touches the lives of everyone in our region.
And as far as having a family, this is an awesome job. You have insurance, you have retirement, you have everything you need to help support your family.
What has been a notable experience you’ve had in your career? In July 2007, we were in the process of building a plant here at the quarry, and there was a lot of construction equipment that was brought in for that project. It began to rain, and just didn’t stop. Overnight, we received over 19 inches of rain.
Most of us were unable to come to work due to the intense flooding. But once we were able to make it back to the quarry, we couldn’t see the plant, we couldn’t see the equipment…everything was flooded! It was a disaster. But the guys out here worked hard to do what they had to do, and they brought in pumps to drain the water so we could get back to building. It was a crazy couple of months after that flood!
Any advice for women considering a career in construction? I strongly believe that it doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or if you are a man in this field. If you love what you do, you can get the job just as well as anyone else.
This is a wonderful industry to be in. There are so many opportunities to educate yourself and further your career. In the years that I have worked in construction, I have never felt like I was lacking in anything. With any new position that I’ve taken on, there have always been people who trained me, who took the time to show me the ins and outs to make me feel comfortable in the job.
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