Construction was not so much an industry Nicole Demers, Payroll Manager with Optiline Enterprises LLC. was looking for but more that she fell into and loved. "It was and still is a dream job...The projects we are on are always different and our team crushes it!" 

Juliet Hadley graduated from Elon University with a double major in Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Management. After graduating she joined the family business, Pella Windows & Doors of New England, as a Marketing & Business Development Associate. She enjoys many things about her career, but, she says, “working with my family members (dad, sister, brother-in-law) is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Megan Butcher, Project Manager with Fulcrum Associates, sees construction as a unique opportunity to meet and interact with many different types of people and problems. "No single day is the same as the last and there are always things changing and new things to learn. The industry as a whole is at a point where it is no longer moving in the direction of how it has always been but seeing major innovation in every aspect from how the work is actually implemented to how projects are managed."

Kayla Johnson, Second Year Apprentice Pipefitter with DECCO Inc., likes the construction industry because, as she says, you get to earn and learn. "Every day I use my hands and learn so much in one day just at work. It's not the same thing every day, and I'm not in debt from going to college. My work provides the opportunity for me to get my pipefitter license and send me to school. I love my job but it's not even a job, it's a career."

Amanda Cambell, Assistant Project Manager with HP Cummings Construction Company, enjoys construction because it is an ever-evolving, non-stop creative line of work. The construction industry is filled with tradespeople who are willing to help out others and provide insight into their particular craft. "This knowledge I have found to be priceless and educational while working alongside so many individuals. I am also a very creative person and enjoy being able to collaborate with architects and engineers during the design development and construction process."

November Jalbert, Assistant Project Manager with Lewis Builders Development, Inc., says every day is different and challenging while working in construction. "I'm surrounded by people who work in different trades, who are willing to share what they do best. I enjoy working with them and getting to use my mind and hands to get the job done."

Kayla Gendreau, Assistant Project Manager with Fulcrum Associates, really enjoys getting to be on the management side and being able to see the projects through their entirety. "It's not every career where you can see a project from conception on paper to the final product. I like being able to help be part of the teams that make this happen."

Beth Seniw, Project Manager with ReArch Company, grew up with a strong interest in Math & Science. "My dad was an engineer, so I often followed him around at his project sites to see how all of the equipment worked to put things together."

The construction industry has so many different avenues for you to explore and take which can lead to a long and successful career. Lydia Cahan, Project Manager with Mas-Con Corporation, says, "The day-to-day challenges and the wide variety of projects is what keeps things interesting. As a woman, it won't always be easy. You'll have good days and bad days, but hopefully the good will outweigh the bad. And don't forget, be sure to have a great support system outside of work. These people can make all the difference for you!"

Why construction? Becuase, as Julianne Cardinal, Project Superintendent with Eckman Construction, says, how many people can put a shovel in the ground one day and a year or so later have a multimillion-dollar structure built for all to see and admire? "We make a tangible difference. We construct infrastructure that our own communities need. We literally build our worlds and keep our country moving."