Rebekah Upchurch reflects growing trend of women joining the asphalt industry
Rebekah Upchurch is one of an increasing number of women who view the asphalt industry as a promising career choice. She is on track to graduate from the University of Kentucky with a degree in civil engineering in May of 2024. This summer, an internship at the BATT Lab gives her a real-world opportunity to learn about the “lab to pavement” services provided by the company.
“BATT Lab is going to be an amazing opportunity because I will get to learn so much about asphalt mixtures as well as what is new in the industry,” she says. “BATT Lab is always testing new mixtures. I am fortunate to be able to spend the summer watching, working, and learning so much.
I am interested in civil engineering with a focus on transportation and construction. My goal is to be the lead engineer for an asphalt paving company where we work to pave new roads and repave damaged roads.”
Her introduction to the various processes within the BATT Lab provides a perfect fit to her career aspirations. Rebakah will rotate through various lab processes to learn the details of testing and will also join in client meetings and assist in writing reports. She will accompany staff on job sites to assist with Pavement Condition Index (PCI) surveys, learning BATT’s newest service offering that provides an in-depth video analysis of pavement conditions.
Rebekah’s attraction to the asphalt industry traces back to her childhood when she would accompany her father, Bobby Upchurch, Executive Vice President at Mago Construction, to job sites.
“Going to work with my dad gave me the perfect insight on what a job in the asphalt industry would be like day to day.”
Organizations like Women of Asphalt (WofA) provide encouragement, support, and resources to attract women to a variety of roles within the asphalt industry. WofA provided a scholarship to support Rebekah’s pursuit of her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Kentucky. Like WofA, Rebekah also wants to encourage young people to consider the asphalt industry, and she hopes to teach at UK as a side venture once she is settled into a job.
“Like Women of Asphalt, I hope to promote the many jobs available in the industry. Women are finding the asphalt industry provides plenty of opportunities — from engineering to the office, the lab, and the job site. It is an eye opener to learn how many women are working in asphalt, and how they all play a different role. It’s a vibrant industry, and I am looking forward to a long and rewarding career in it.”
