Women in Construction Profile 2026: Laura Amundson
Looking at a drafting document, you see black lines, perfect measurements, important proportions and a lot of detail for a new project or space. What you don't see is the person doing the drawing, or the journey to become the person in charge of drafting, designing, or even completing the project. Someone like Engineering's Project Manager and Architect Laura Amundson.
"We take projects for all of the city agencies. They [city agencies] come to us, and it could be a large project, could be a small project that is paint and recarpet, all the way up to a new fire station," Amundson said. "We project manage those from the beginning of design, and we'll take it depending on our capabilities and size of project, all the way through construction."
Amundson works in the Facilities Management section of the Engineering Division. One of her current projects is converting Engineering's existing locker room including a temporary space to a new locker room, shower and bathroom space for operations employees.
"With this project, I did the drafting to create the construction documents that go out to bid," Amundson said.
Amundson's journey to the City and the architectural world began in the 7th grade growing up in Rice Lake, Wis.
"The middle school I went to did not allow girls to take shop classes. Yet, the boys were required to take a home education class," Amundson said. "A small group of us felt very slighted. We went to the principal, didn't get anywhere, so we took our notebooks and we created a petition to take to the school board to ask for the ability to take shop classes.”
Amundson said their petition did not immediately benefit her group, but eventually created change for classes after her. The hurdle didn't keep her from continuing to create opportunities for women in high school.
"I had a friend say so—you really wanted to take a shop class in middle school, would you like to do it in high school, you should do it. And it became a dare, so in my sophomore year I signed up for a general shop class that rotated between electronics, wood working, metal shop and drafting,” Amundson said. "I loved the drafting class—the nine weeks of drafting. I signed up the next year for the one and only drafting class that was available, and after that, in my senior year, I talked my instructor into letting me do an independent study.”
Amundson worked at a drafting firm that did mechanical drafting for Caterpillar Tractors and John Deere and then worked for an architect office helping with blue printing and bid documents, before attending Northwoods Technical College to earn her associate's degree in architectural commercial design.
"When I was in technical school, there were only five of us [girls] and 27 guys," Amundson said. "So there were five girls and 27 guys, we knew we were outnumbered.”
Being the one of few or only woman in a space continued into her early career, working for a pre-cast concrete company doing structural drafting work. There, she was the only woman at the plant that was in a "non-stereotypical position.”
"Going into a plant, it was more like when you're working a construction site. There's a difference in how, there was a difference with how some people will treat you as a woman," Amundson said. "You need to learn to pick your battles. It was a learning experience."
More challenges, but nothing Amundson couldn't handle, especially when she had support and mentorship from great bosses creating space and helping her sharpen skills to deal with difficult situations, not just on site.
"Probably the person who helped me get used to working in a male dominated field, my very first boss after I graduated," Amundson said. "He did a lot of advising on how to handle certain situations when I was frustrated with being talked over or hollered at. He was very ahead of his time with women in the construction business."
Amundson said her first boss was direct and his guidance helped her gain confidence.
"He told me one time, walk away. Tell them I'm hanging up on you now, call me back when you want to talk professionally. And I was like, 'I don't think I can do that!' And he was like, 'do it—they will call you back.'" Amundson said. "And they did."
A move to Manitowoc, Wis., a wedding, telework for a company for 20 years, three daughters and a move to Madison preceded her landing a job at the City of Madison Engineering Division, where she's been for the last 10 years, now reflecting on her past and continuing enthusiasm for what opportunities are available in construction for women today.
"I think everyone wants to think first of all the different trades in construction, but there are many different places that women can go along with the trades. It's the architecture. It's the engineering. It's streets. It's not just building," Amundson said. "There are a lot of different fields and opportunities."
There are a lot of ways to draw, design or think of drafting a new project, building or career. But for Amundson, paying attention to the details, the hurdles and overcoming them creates more room for growth and space for more women in the construction industry.
"I would like to suggest to any person interested in construction, ask to shadow. Reach out, people are happy to share their jobs with those who are curious," Amundson said. "…Because sometimes you think you want to head this direction, and life sends you in a different direction and it’s for the best! Just keep an open mind."
Not everyone has to draft the perfect design, or have a perfect journey to the dream job, but paying attention to each detail and learning with each challenge is what makes the building, or life, great in the long run.
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