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This article is part of a series of conversations with women leaders in the construction industry. Click here for past discussions.
As a child, Cheyanne Hammell watched her mother gain success in the male-dominated aviation industry, becoming the first woman in her company to fly a Boeing 757.
His mother’s passion for a non-traditional role inspired Hammell to choose a career in construction. In 2007, she was hired by PCL Construction, which has its US headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta, after completing a co-op internship program there while at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.
As Special Projects Manager for PCL’s Toronto office, Hammell leads specialty projects in the Greater Toronto Area, overseeing a team of 40 people to undertake up to 30 projects at a time for critical infrastructure such as hospitals, airports and offices.
Cheyanne Hammell
Permission granted by PCL
She also volunteers as a mentor and participates in various committees and events to empower girls and young women to explore careers in science, trades, engineering and technology.
Here, Hammell talks to Construction Dive about the renovation of Toronto’s CN Tower, the importance of teamwork and the benefits of a construction job.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
CONSTRUCTION DIVER: What made you choose construction for your career?
CHEYANNE HAMMELL: I ultimately chose construction as a major because of my experience working at PCL during my co-op semesters in college. I loved the teamwork involved in completing projects and being able to see the tangible results of your hard work.
There is great pride in being able to show off your accomplishments to family and friends.
What are some of your favorite projects to work on and why?
One project that stands out to me would be our renovation of the CN Tower Observation Level, where we completely renovated one of the levels at the top of the tower while keeping the space open to visitors. Not only that, but we replaced half of the exterior windows 1,300 feet in the air with new floor-to-ceiling glass panels, which doesn’t happen on regular projects.
I also really enjoyed my work at a long-term care home, Lakeridge Gardens, in Ajax, Ontario. The accelerated project was completed during the height of COVID-19, when the province was in desperate need of additional long-term care beds.
It’s also a project that seemed to have impossible goals of delivering a full 320-bed facility in just one year, but it was a great example of what a shared vision and collective teamwork can achieve.
What are the advantages of working in construction?
I think one of the biggest advantages of construction is that it is constantly changing and evolving. It never feels like you’re doing the same thing because people and projects change so often that it’s almost like starting a new job every couple of years.
We also have the opportunity to work with a lot of new and exciting technology. There is a lot of problem solving and you quickly build relationships with people as you work together to overcome challenges.
What advice would you give to young women considering construction as a career?
I believe there are many things that women need to bring to the table that can benefit the construction industry and make an impact in changing the construction environment. It’s a very rewarding career, one where you’ll definitely learn something new every day and where you have the ability to contribute directly to the communities in which we live and work.
I think it’s something really special that you get to be a part of when you choose construction as a career.
