feature: women in industry

As we see more diversity and welcome more members from different backgrounds, it is a cause for celebration of the careers of individuals breaking barriers and succeeding in their own rights. For this year's career handbook, we had the opportunity to speak with Demi Grand, Tye Malinowski, and Jennifer Kinzer. These women are working hard, succeeding in their careers, and inspiring others to do the same. Here's what they had to say about working in the construction industry.

DEMI GRAND MANAGER,INTERIORS

Can you share a little bit about what it is that you do and what a typical day for you is like?

I currently work for Synergy Projects based here in Edmonton and serve in the role of Manager of our Interiors group. In my role, I provide active oversight and guidance to all our Interiors team members throughout the lifecycle of our many projects. We complete a significant number of interior renovations and fit-outs each year at Synergy and for quite a range of clients—commercial, institutional, non- profit, and others—so this market represents an important part of our business. More specific to my role, I leverage my construction experience to ensure that all of our Interiors projects are meeting their budget, schedule, and scope requirements, while at the same time ensuring we’re achieving Synergy’s high safety and quality standards. I’m also responsible for helping drive both the strategic and day-to-day business leadership of our Interiors group within the organization.

For me, a typical day involves connecting with various members of our Interiors team, including different Project Managers, Project Coordinators, and Superintendents, to provide leadership and support and ensure that our projects are staying on track. I’ll typically get involved to provide support on specific project issues or risk items, and will often connect with designers, architects, and clients to review any existing or upcoming projects they may have.

Separate from my project-specific responsibilities, I also frequently work with our Estimating and Marketing departments to help prepare, review, and issue budget and proposal submissions to our clients.

Did you always know that working in construction was what you wanted to do? How did you decide to go into your current career?

I’ve always felt like construction was always in my blood—the people I respect the most in my life are either in or have worked in the industry. My mother is an Interior Designer, my father is a Superintendent, and my grandfather retired as a Senior Project Manager. There are many different paths you can take but, for me, I wasn’t sold on either the pay scale or job tasks that come with being an Interior Designer or Architect, and I’m not great with tools or being cold (both of which made the idea of being a Superintendent less appealing), so naturally a project management role made the most sense for me. Growing up, my grandfather was always my largest inspiration, and he always called me the boss, which is what I always considered him to be. It seemed like the right fit for me to do what he did. I didn’t go right into construction, though. Straight out of high school, I went into post-secondary programs that were unrelated to the field, as both my parents often preached about how hard the construction industry was to be in. Four years later and more than $50,000 in books and tuition in, however, I realized that just because something’s hard doesn’t mean that it’s not worthwhile or that I should steer clear of it. I still felt like construction was where my heart lay, so decided to jump in with both feet.

I don’t think it’s any secret that many women in the construction industry have felt their gender has affected the way that they are perceived or treated. Have you ever been in a situation like that? How did you handle it?

To be completely honest, and I may be an exception here, I’ve never felt like my gender has affected me differently in the construction industry than it has in other areas of my life, whether in school or prior workplaces. My experience has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m very grateful for that.

What do you think is the best part of being a woman in the construction industry?

The construction industry is still very much a male-dominated field, so to me, it’s always gratifying to be able to help expand the definition of what it means to work in the field and create space for more women to follow suit. It’s rewarding to be able to challenge stereotypes through the work that I do and improve and explore how we understand diversity in the workplace, particularly in a construction setting.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in the tech industry? What do you wish you had known?

My belief has always been that, regardless of the organization you’re working for or what industry you’re in, everyone is there to do a job, and that approach has always served me well. The best advice I can give is to never try to pretend or act a certain way if it’s not who you naturally are—we all offer different strengths, so focus on bringing your best qualities and attributes to the table and simply do the best job you can. If you can do that, you’ll have a great start towards finding your niche and building a career that fits who you are and where you want to go.