Uriel Chica

Interest in the construction industry started at an early age for Uriel Chica, who now sees limitless possibilities in his career at WW Clyde.

“I have an older brother who is a general contractor back home in Colombia,” Uriel said. “He is into residential construction. I used to help him a little on the side outside of school.”

That interest led Uriel to eventually apply for and be accepted at Brigham Young University, where he began working towards a degree in construction management.

“I first heard about Clyde Companies at BYU,” Uriel said. “They’re very supportive of the construction management and engineering programs there. I could tell that they seemed like a great company to work for.”

After having success working at internships during school, Uriel was hired full-time at Geneva Rock where he was employed for two years — starting as a laborer/lab technician before eventually moving up as an assistant to the superintendent in various departments. Since then, Uriel has been with WW Clyde for three years as a field engineer.

“My supervisor at Geneva Rock had heard about an open position at WW Clyde and thought that I should apply,” Uriel said. “He gave me a great recommendation despite how difficult it was for him to lose me as an employee.”

Uriel is grateful for the opportunities he’s found at WW Clyde and the potential for his future.

“WW Clyde treats me very well,” Uriel said. “They make sure you’re trained for your position and will help you learn about other roles as well.”

Uriel has enjoyed gaining knowledge about the various functions of a project engineer, the next step in his career path. His current position has also allowed him to learn the responsibilities of a field supervisor.

“When I came to WW Clyde, I realized that there was something different I could do every day,” Uriel said. “There’s always a new challenge. That’s what makes me stay at the company. It keeps me motivated being able to focus on solving new problems every day. I like the variety.”

Overcoming challenges has been something that Uriel has had to work through since coming to the United States.

“It’s hard getting used to the technical language and culture,” Uriel said. “I knew construction, but I didn’t know a lot of the words or methods of the industry since they differ considerably back home. That was one of the hardest parts for me during the first few years of my career. There was always a new term or construction process that I didn’t know and had to learn.

“I feel much more confident now. I’m still learning every day, but I now understand how things are done and the responsibilities I’ve been given.”

Ultimately, Uriel hopes to continue on in his career advancing whenever he can, as long as he can balance field and office work.

“The advantage of starting in an entry-level position like I did is that you can dream of becoming whatever you want,” Uriel said. “There’s no limit at this point.

“I want to keep studying and going to school, but the more time I spend in the field, the more in love with it I become. I want to keep pursuing the dream of advancing to a higher position in the company, as long as it also involves the field. It’s the place for me.”