The many roads to asphalt

How do you build a career in asphalt without an engineering degree? In this episode of Pave It Black, Lauren SeBlonka shares her unconventional journey from studying sociology at the University of Glasgow to leading innovation and sustainability initiatives in the UK highways sector with Amey. With no prior experience in road construction or asphalt, Lauren entered the industry driven by a passion for social impact and quickly became a leader in decarbonization, climate resilience, and infrastructure innovation.

Lauren discusses what it really takes to transition into the asphalt industry from a non-engineering background. She shares practical advice for overcoming imposter syndrome, learning technical language from scratch, and building confidence in a traditionally male-dominated field. Whether you work in civil engineering, are exploring how to enter the asphalt industry without a technical degree, or interested in the career stories, this conversation demonstrates that there is more than one path into roads.

Here’s a sneak peek into this week’s conversation but be sure to tune in to the full episode for all the insights. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

R: That is quite a jump from sociology, but you are not the only one who makes career leaps like that. Do you have advice for anyone looking to make a change who might be intimidated by entering an industry they know nothing about?

LS: I have three main pieces of advice. Practically, the first thing I did was create an Excel sheet of all the different acronyms and terminology. Recording them helped me learn quickly.

Broadly, do not pigeonhole yourself or worry about having a non-traditional background. Within the road and highways sector, people from many different backgrounds are needed. You do not have to write yourself off just because you are not a civil engineer.

Finally, keep an open mind. When I started, I struggled with confidence. In the UK, it is still a male-dominated field. As a young female with a non-traditional background, I did not feel I could express my opinion with the same confidence as those around me, especially on technical topics. However, I realized the perspective I brought—such as systems-level thinking—was just as valuable as the views of chartered civil engineers. You need multiple perspectives to achieve transformations in sustainability. Do not be afraid to use your voice; it is valued and useful.

Season 10 of Pave It Black is sponsored by FleetWatcher by AlignOps.