feature: where are they now?

ASHLEY WILKIE ESTIMATOR

Is there anything you would have wished you asked your instructors while you were still at school? Each Instructor I had throughout my time at NAIT provided excellent knowled ge, experience, and support. I have always been a proactive person, asking questions as they come to my head, and because of that there are no outstanding questions I wished I would have asked. However, as a word of advice, if there is a question you have, ask it!

When you think back on everything that you learned at NAIT, what was one of the most valuable things you learned during your time?

For myself, I entered the Con Eng. program with a Diploma in Human Resources and no experience in construction at all. The most valuable thing I learnt during my time is to have patience, and this has also transferred into my career. If you are entering into the program with or without previous experience in the industry, patience is key when learning new concepts. The courses were all delivered well by the instructors, as some of them would even put in extra time for those who needed it. Be patient, be curious, and understand that each project you work on will bring a new experience, a new challenge, and a new reward.

If you could do your CON ENG diploma over again, is there anything you would have done differently?

My time as a Con. Eng. student held a very positive impact on my life. Not only did it le ad me to where I am today, but throughout my first and second year I took part on the Student Council as a volunteer and as the Vice President respectfully, which lead to creating several lasting friendships and industry connections.

What is your best memory of the CON Eng. program?

There are several great memories to choose from, but I think the best memory I have is from Con. Eng. would be the Industry Night. This was and still is a great opportunity to connect with industry professionals, see what is out there for you, and have a bit of practice for interviews!

What advice would you give to the first-year students, is that any different than the advice you'd give to the second-year students?

Keep learning new skills, keep educating yourself, keep questioning why a nd how, keep improving yourself, but most of all keep going. Build and continue to grow your connections with your classmates and those around you, as you will soon realize how connected everyone in the industry is! Get involved, try new things, be present, and look forward to the future.

Considering the pace of the program, is there anything you would suggest to help keep students focused?

There are many tools to consider that can aid in staying focused and engaged in your studies. A few key habits that kept me focused as a student and have also assisted in my career include being organized, setting a plan and sticking to it, avoiding multitasking, taking notes during meetings or conversations, creating a space where you are comfortable to work, getting enough sleep, keeping not only your mind but your body active with physical activity, and understanding that you are ultimately responsible for your own work.

Would you recommend the Con Eng. program to students still considering their career path?

Most definitely! The Co n. Eng. program provides a great foundation. Whether you are interested in a career in the construction industry or considering it. There are multiple different avenues the program can take you from project coordinating, scheduling, safety, estimating, and more!

What are your thoughts on timemanagement, any tips?

Time management is a very important skill to have in your personal and professional life. Tim e management skills have a powerful effect on the quality of your decisions, your stress levels, and ultimately the outcome of your task. Preparing lists, prioritizing tasks with dates and times for completion, sticking to your schedule, taking breaks, and of course, getting enough sleep. These are all ways to keep on top of your time management.

Would you ever consider mentoring a CON Eng. Grad? Are you a member of the Con Eng LinkedIn Mentorships Group?

I am currently a member of the Con End LinkedIn Mentorship Group and would be more than happy to mentor a new Con. Eng. Grad.

What would be the most valuable behavioral and personality traits a con Eng. student should establish to be a valued candidate for a role?

The most valuable behavi oral and personality traits a Con. Eng. student can establish to be a valued candidate are positive attitude, willingness to learn, open to communicate, motivated to work in a team, having integrity, and adaptability.

In the teams you've been a part of, what makes you want to work with someone again?

I enjoy working with those who have clear goals and plans on how to attain those goals, those who communicat e openly with the team as well as listen to others, and those who have strong leadership skills but also fulfill their own tasks.

There is a lot of group work in the CON ENG program, any suggestions on creating an effective team? or suggestions on how to make it more productive?

Begin with the end in mind. Always understand what the goal or outcome is that you and your team are trying to achieve. Every team you will be a part of will have members on it who have different experiences, knowledge, and ideas, a huge part of being successful as a team is to listen to one another. Consider factors such as what are your team member’s strengths, what your team members enjoy doing, and how your team members want to challenge themselves. When you understand what the goal is, what strengths your team has, and how as a team you will concur challenges, you can create an effective team.

What are some accomplishments you've achieved?

After graduating Con. Eng. I was brought onto the Clark Builders’ Estimating team as a Junior Estimator, at my fourth year I celebrated promotion to Estimator. Through those four years I lead and assisted on multiple project awards which consisted of a vast variety in size and type, some interesting projects would include numerous large-scale ground mount solar systems in remote locations, the recently completed Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden, currently under construction Red Deer Justice Centre which will include 16 courtrooms and the new Gene Zwozdesky Centre (Norwood Redevelopment Project) in Edmonton! For the year 2023, I will also be on the Professional Estimating Group board through the Edmonton Construction Association. talking to my teachers after class and asking a lot of questions. Something we are lucky to do with smaller class sizes.

From some of the peers in your graduating class, can you list some different career paths people went down?

The most common career paths my graduating class took were working for Sub Contractors, General Contractors, and Developers as Project Coordinators, Project Managers, and Estimators. A few class members started their career path off in Consulting Firms as well assisting with document creation and distribution and others joined into a Partnership position of a family company!

When you think back on everything that you learned at NAIT, what was one of the most valuable things you learned during your time?

SULLIVAN

SR. PROJECT COORDINATOR

Is there anything you would have wished you asked your instructors while you were still at school?

I cannot think of anything. I am someone who asks a lot of questions (maybe too many at times). I took advantage of there anything you would suggest to help keep students focused?

Networking is a big part of this industry. Be open to meeting people and pushing outside of your comfort zone if you are a little more introverted.

Be humble with what you may already know and be willing to learn from your teachers and classmates (a lot come from trade backgrounds) and have information to offer.

Time management and organization are important and valuable skills to have and develop.

If you could do your CON ENG diploma over again, is there anything you would have done differently?

No, I don’t think so. I am happy with my time and outcome in the program.

What is your best memory of the CON Eng. program?

Probably the friends I made. We spent a lot of time together and would go bowling during breaks and hang out after school. I made a lot of good friends that I am still in touch with today.

What advice would you g ive to the first-year students, is that any different than the advice you'd give to the second-year students?

Take in all the information you can and ask a lot of questions. Google is your friend but so are your teachers. There were a lot of things I would write down during class with a question mark beside it and later ask to better understand. Everyone should attend industry night. It is a great place to meet industry people and network. Even if you have a job lined up already, go in willing to meet people and talk. You never know whom you will cross paths with when you work and it is great to have a connection. The only other advice I have for the first years is to get a summer job in the industry if you can. It opens many doors and you will gain knowledge, even in a 3 month period.

It is a two-year grind; however, it goes by quickly. It’s important to get through it with your best foot forward and if that means sacrificing some social events to study and focus, I recommend it. Also, if you are not a coffee drinker, I recommend starting.

Would you recommend the Con Eng. program to students still considering their caree r path?

I would recommend they shadow someone from the industry and attend the open houses to learn more about the program and what jobs can come from it. It is not an easy program and I think if you don’t have the passion for it, it will be even harder. I did that before applying and it solidified my decision. With that said, this program is terrific and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in going d own the project management or estimating route.

What is the most interesting or important thing you learned coming out of the program?

Considering the pace of the program, is

This is a tough one! I learned so much from the program that was very relevant and useful to realworld work. I think the Contract Law course is very valuable and teaches us to read and write in a different “language”. It is important to know your contracts whether with your client or subcontractor/supplier and what those include and exclude.

What are your thoughts on time management? Any tips?

I live off lists and find they help me prioritize. It is easy to get overwhelmed with tasks and “to-do’s” but if you organize what needs immediate attention and start that way it really helps. It is important to balance a lot and the best advice is to stay organized.

Would you e ver consider mentoring a CON Eng. Grad? Are you a member of the Con Eng LinkedIn Mentorships Group?

Yes I am in that group. I think I would be open to being a mentor once I learn more about what that looks like.

What would be the most valuable behavioral and personality traits a con Eng. student should establish to be a valued candidate for a role. Be open to learning, ask questions when you don’t know something, be professional always (even when we are tested), and have open and effective communication.

In the teams you've been a part of, what makes you want to work with someone again?

I like working with people I can learn from. I am still early in my career and any new information or skills I can absorb is great. I also enjoy working with people who are respectful to others, whether that’s our own forces or subtrades. I have been lucky to work with a lot of great people so far in my career.

There is a lot of group work in the CON ENG program, any suggestions on creating an effective team? Or suggestions on how to make it more productive? Assign roles and distribute your workload. Ask everyone what area they are most comfortable taking on as well. It is important to also let your teammates know if they or you are struggling on something, it is OK to ask and lean on each other for support. After all, you want the best grade possible. Also, give yourselves timelines. For example if your assignment is due on Wednesday, have it done by Monday so you can collab and review before handing it in.

What are some accomplishments you've achieved in your c areer?

I am still working towards some bigger achievements, but I have gotten great opportunities to work on big projects such as the BC Hydro Site C and the Kearl Lake Expansion project. I am only two years into the commercial world but have gotten great experience working on building 5 new car washes for Mint

Smartwash and now transitioned to working (and living) in Kelowna, BC.

From some of the peers of your graduating class, can you list some different career paths people went down?

A lot went down the project management (whether at a general contractor or subcontractor) path but some have gone into estimating, real estate, project management (not in the construction industry), and environmental management.