(WXYZ) — Jessica English is breaking barriers one construction project at a time. A native of Detroit, she says the latest People Mover project was not only about her but also about building up her community and the next generation.
These rail cars have been rounding across Metro Detroit since 1987. Now, Detroiter Jessica English is a part of keeping that legacy going.
“I am Detroit, born and raised. I went to Cass Tech and my community means a lot to me," English said. "I knew that building something that, like generations can be a part of later on down the road was exactly what I wanted to do."
As Capital Project Manager, English was in charge of the People Mover's latest multi-million dollar track improvement project.
“I would not have had a successful project if it was not for my team," English said. “We're all like very happy and fulfilled that we were able to turn over such a successful project on time and on budget. It definitely did. This was probably one of the tightest schedules I've ever worked with.”
She's representation in an industry dominated by men. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, woman made up around 11 percent of the construction workforce, and even less than that were Black women.
"I think we have a little ways to go to become a little more inclusive, but I'm really proud of the progress that everyone is making," English said.
Growing up on construction sites with her Dad, English didn't see a lot of women. That's why she values being visible and highlighting the importance of Diversity and Inclusion.
"We've come a long ways, for sure, having more black women presence on job sites and things like that," English said. “I find it extremely important to go to schools. I attend a lot of different panels and things like that, to show little girls that you have it in you.”
As she reflects on Black History Month, she's really grateful for her past and where her family came from.
“Everyone is a product of the city, and they've always been in the forefront of making things better," English said. "They've always been the leaders of the community. And when you just have awesome people like that to look up to, I knew I wanted to be just like them growing up."
And English hopes sharing her story will help inspire future generations of Detroiters to come.
“We're strong, we're resilient, we know how to speak up when we need to, but we're also graceful and poised, and we also we have like, great leadership qualities. So you could take all of that and put it into a career," English said.
