Page 22 - AnnualReport16-17

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“Construction is in my blood,” said Carmen
Eckman, Utility Worker and two-year Operations
employee. “I like to see roads being built from the
ground up. I worked in the private sector before
my son was born. I didn’t get a position the first
time I applied at the County, but I was better
prepared when I tried again.”
“I like that we take a road in disarray and fix it,”
said Laurie Whitley, Utility Worker and nine-year
Operations employee. “People are grateful for
what we do, especially in weather events. People
panic when roads are blocked by snow or flood
water, and it’s nice to help alleviate that stress.”

All County employees — particularly Whitley was one of the first women to complete
those on road crews — are encouraged to take the Road Scholars program through the Oregon
advantage of training opportunities to build skills Technology Transfer Center. She completed 40
and opportunities for advancement. Leadership hours of road-maintenance coursework in road
training, career-specific skills and supervisor geometrics, drainage, pavement maintenance,
training enables motivated employees to advance environmental best practices, surveying and
from entry-level positions into supervisory roles. grade checking. Eighteen County employees,
including Whitley, three of them women,
have completed the program to date.
The Department
of Land Use & “I feel it is very important to have
Transportation was women working for the County to bring their
presented with the experiences and aspirations to making LUT the
2017 Employer of the Year Award by the WTS
Portland Chapter, an organization dedicated to best it can be,” said April Okazaki, Operations
building the future of transportation through Supervisor and 20-year Operations employee.
the global advancement of women. Okazaki started her career as a seasonal worker
before being hired into a full-time position on
The award honors an organization for recruiting, a drainage crew. She had several positions in
retaining and advancing women in transportation Operations before being promoted to crew
and related fields. The award application was supervisor in 2016.
submitted by employees who wrote: “All too
often, women in transportation-focused The three women say LUT promotes diversity
organizations are limited to administrative and strives for a safe and respectful workplace.
positions. That is not true of LUT. Women
have leadership opportunities and are “The crews are like a big family,” Whitley said.
encouraged to take advantage of them.” “We encourage each other; we have fun. I can’t
imagine leaving the crew for a desk job.”

19 | Building Community LUT Annual Report FY 2016–17