Women in Construction Week with Ela Walsh

Join us in celebrating the roles of Women in Construction with Ela Walsh, Marketing Manager at Walker Industries. 

As Walker’s Marketing Manager, Ela blends creativity and strategy to promote Walker’s brand and strengthen its ties to the communities they help build.

 

Tell us a bit more about your job and your responsibilities.

As a Marketing Manager at Walker, I support the business divisions of the company and oversee corporate branding. I work closely with the teams to support marketing and operational initiatives, public relations, community outreach, and employee engagement through integrated campaigns, communications and events.

Describe your typical day on the job and how the work you do contributes to the company.

A typical day on the job could include anything from strategy to developing content for community and customer newsletters, creating targeted digital advertising campaigns, developing social media content, creating engaging employee experiences and managing public relations, signage and other branded materials. It is important that Walker shows up consistently across all the industries we are part of and within the communities where we live and work. Tying all these things together, we can share the great work we do in building critical infrastructure and supporting local communities.

What do you find most challenging in your work?

Marketing the industrial sector, particularly local aggregate and construction services, can be challenging. Unlike consumer products, these services are often behind the scenes, making it harder to create direct, tangible connections with the public. This requires companies like Walker to speak on behalf of the industry, and work with competitors to educate the public on the importance of local aggregate sources and the benefits to the communities which they serve. The construction of local roads, schools, hospitals, homes and other infrastructure that communities rely on are dependent on sand, stone and gravel from our pits and quarries.

What do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the breadth of work that we do. Being involved in so many parts of the business allows me to take a fulsome approach to marketing the benefits that Walker offers to customers, the industry, neighbours, communities and employees—both present and future. It’s rewarding sharing innovative projects and educating people about the different things Walker does. From mining sand, stone and gravel, to supplying ready mix concrete and construction services, to recovering resources like concrete and asphalt and creating new products from the recycled materials, to sharing innovative rehabilitation at our sites. Walker also offers employees a number of benefits such as two paid volunteer days which allows us to give back to our community in a meaningful way which is very rewarding.

How did you become interested in this field/this work?

Walker has strong roots in Niagara and is very well known in the region. The Walker values resonated with me and when the opportunity to join the team was presented to me five years ago, I was excited to apply my experience and help build awareness of the Walker brand, products and services across North America.

Education and advancement

 

Is your current position the same as when you started in this company?

My position has remained largely the same since joining Walker. When I first joined Walker, we were in the process of a re-brand and my work was focused on supporting the launch and rollout of the new brand. Now, as part of the established team (which includes marketing, communications, digital engagement, government relations and senior management) my position strategically manages thorough marketing plans which support the businesses in their local markets and managing our brand reputation in the community.

Detail your past or ongoing education or training and how it is relevant to your job.

My post-secondary education includes a Diploma in Creative Advertising from Sheridan College and a Bachelor of Business Administration – Marketing from Brock University, both of which are relevant to my role. I use the skills and theories daily while creating strategic plans and executing tactics. I have taken project management courses, health and safety training and other interest courses like photography which have all provided incredible value to my job and the many hats I wear as a marketer.

If you could start over, would you change your career path?

I wouldn’t change a thing. I started my career as a marketing assistant and have worked both agency and client side in a variety of industries. Every step presented challenges and provided valuable experiences that shaped how I approach my career, role, and projects.

Industry and advice

 

What advice would you give a high school aged student unsure of the opportunities in the aggregate industry?

I would advise students to come for a tour of one of our many sites. Seeing the amazing operations and team in action is an invaluable experience. There are so many different roles in the aggregate industry. From operations, to management, to sales, marketing, accounting and so much more, this industry touches on many different skillsets.

What hard or soft skills should someone in your field have?

Marketing in the aggregates industry involves a wide range of skills and tools. Hard skills could include project management, campaign management, writing, analytics, research among many others. Soft skills help you execute your hard skills and involve collaboration, critical thinking, communication, leadership, and strategic thinking.