Wednesday brought with it a full circle moment for a construction worker in Brockton as she helped break ground on a project at the very site where she attended elementary school.
Kendy Power-Koch was raised in Brockton. Now, she’s hoping her story will inspire others
“We’ve been able to stay the course and keep the eyes on the prize,” said Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan at a groundbreaking event for Brockton’s new public safety building.
“It’s like full circle for me,” said Suffolk Construction Assistant Superintendent Kendy Power-Koch. “…I never knew that I would end up here.”
Power-Koch came to Brockton as an immigrant, attending elementary school on the very lot where the new public safety building is putting down its roots.
Now, Power-Koch is one of the people behind the build.
“I used to walk up those stairs as a little girl speaking very little English and now here I am,” she said.
While marking the start of the new project in her hometown holds special significance, the real reason Power-Koch wanted to be on the job is representation.
“Every little girl, they don’t know that it’s possible until they see someone that looks like them doing it,” she said.
According to the National Association of Women in Construction, women make up roughly 11% of the US’ construction industry.
The statistic, Power-Koch said, hammers home the importance of seeing more women in the workforce.
“It’s not just for the guys, there’s lots and lots of opportunities for women to succeed,” she said.
Power-Koch hopes she can be the blueprint for future generations of women in construction, reminding them they, too, can be groundbreaking.
“Representation matters to see that a woman that looks like me can be here to do such an important project for Brockton,” she said.
The new public safety center will house Brockton’s information technology, emergency management, police and fire departments. It is slated to open in 2025.
