A Different Kind of Strength: Paige Perkins’ Story

Some people step into the trades looking for a traditional career path.

Others arrive from somewhere completely unexpected and realize they’ve found the place where their strengths finally make sense. For Paige Perkins, construction and paving became that place. Her path did not follow the usual script. After spending seven years in school and earning her doctorate, Paige found herself drawn to an industry that did not require any of that to begin. And still, it was here that she found the kind of work that challenged her, energized her, and gave her room to lead. No two days look exactly the same, and that is part of what she loves most. Some days are spent prospecting new clients or walking job sites. Other days involve meetings, problem solving, and the behind the scenes coordination that keeps projects moving forward. A major part of her role is helping her team refine scopes of work, so clients understand exactly what is being done and why it matters.

“In this industry, unclear scopes can lead to big problems,” Paige said. “I remember being new to this world and feeling overwhelmed by all the technical language. So now, I lead with clarity and teach my team to do the same.”

That clarity has become one of Paige’s strongest tools. In an industry where details matter and miscommunication can cost time, money, and trust, Paige sees communication as part of the work itself. Not an extra. Not a soft skill. A standard. She understands what it feels like to be new, unsure, and surrounded by language that can make the work feel harder to enter than it needs to be. That is why she is intentional about making things clearer for both clients and the people she works with. Like many women entering male dominated spaces, Paige admits she had concerns when she first transitioned into the field. But the experience surprised her.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” she said. “There have only been a few times I felt underestimated, but those moments have always pushed me.”

Instead of allowing those moments to shake her confidence, Paige uses them as fuel. Her response is not to shrink, over explain, or fight for permission to belong. She gets focused.

“I don’t get discouraged,” she said. “I get focused. I show up with top tier service and set the tone early. If someone still isn’t on board, that’s okay. I know what I bring to the table, and I’m not here to convince anyone. I’m here to deliver results.”

That line says a lot about how Paige moves through the industry. Not defensive. Not performative. Just steady, prepared, and clear on the value she brings. When asked what she wishes more people understood about women in construction and paving, Paige’s answer was direct.

“We’re not just fitting in,” she said. “We’re bringing real value to the table.”

For Paige, that value shows up through communication, organization, attention to detail, and a different kind of strength than the industry has always been trained to recognize.

“There’s room for all kinds of strength in this industry,” she said. “And we bring a version of it that this field needs.”

That perspective matters because the future of the trades will not be built by one type of person, one background, or one version of leadership. It will be built by people who are willing to enter the work honestly, learn the language, ask better questions, serve clients well, and raise the standard in whatever role they hold. Field work. Office work. Estimating. Sales. Management. Leadership. There is more than one way to belong here. That is the message Paige hopes more women hear.

“Don’t overthink. Just go for it,” she said. “You don’t have to follow the traditional path to find success. This industry is full of opportunity, whether you want to be part of field work, in an office role, estimating, or management.”

Her own story proves that point. She followed one path far enough to earn a doctorate, then found passion and purpose in a completely different industry. Not because one path was wrong, but because success does not always look the way people told you it would.

“College can be amazing,” Paige said. “But so can the trades. If this kind of work speaks to you, don’t hesitate. Jump in.”

Paige’s story is a reminder that the trades do not just need people who can do the work. They need people who can communicate clearly, lead with confidence, bring order to complexity, and help shift the conversation around what is possible here. Sometimes leadership looks like setting the tone early. Sometimes it looks like refusing to be underestimated. And sometimes it looks like walking into an industry you never expected to love and realizing you have something valuable to build there.