This week marks Women in Construction Week, sponsored by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). In honor of the occasion, we asked Kacy Simonsen, a Senior Estimator at CAS Constructors, an Alberici Enterprise, to share her story.
What led you to a career in the construction industry?
I managed the office of a landscaping company in high school, and when I found out you could go to college for construction I realized it was the right path for me to learn new things and set myself up for a career.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
The variety it brings. I spent a long time estimating, knowing in water/wastewater and with design build, no two projects would be the same. As I’ve spent more and more time in operations, I’ve enjoyed the new puzzles we’ve had to sort out.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
12 years of successfully pricing new projects for CAS, with an overlap of about 2 years of helping manage a few of those projects. It’s a great feeling to know you’ve had a hand in a successful project from the very beginning to the very end.
What advice do you have for women entering the construction industry?
Learn as much as you can. Speak up if you have a question or idea about something. Women in construction are still the minority, but that’s no reason you can’t have a successful career in the industry.