Why I chose a career in the construction industry: 
I came to North Branch Construction shortly after my first son was born because the hours were conducive to my schedule. It became my chosen industry when I was able to exercise my problem solving skills and experience rewarding results.  

What training or education did you need for your current role?
Education for my current role came in the form of a lot of on-the-job independent study. My current role was created, based on the needs of the company at the time. I was fortunate to be able to talk with management about what specific tasks needed attention, and which of those I could take on in my responsibility.

What is a typical day like in your position?
I have a “typical” day for every day of the week. Some days are reserved for billing, some for meetings and compliance. Truthfully, I could end up in a conference room all day with the team working on something entirely unplanned on any given day.

What do you enjoy most about your career?
The best part of the job is when we are working on a challenge, but everyone is taking a good humor approach. Meetings aren’t stuffy and formal, they are collaborative and usually there will be at least one memorable joke. There is never a question that the problem is going to be solved, and it is more than okay to enjoy the process.

What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on?
All the projects I get the opportunity to work on have an interesting aspect to them.

What advice do you have for women who want to work in the construction industry?
I was told that I better have “tough skin” when I started working in construction. It was a little intimidating to receive that advice. As time went on it was clear to me that I very much enjoy the more candid atmosphere of my company. If I were to give advice to a woman interested in the construction industry now, I would say, there are so many different skills that are required for each project. Every person contributes. Be confident and vocal about your contributions and ideas. If you aren’t confident, find out how to change that. See if there is a class offered, talk to someone with experience to gain a better understanding.