Women in Construction Week:
Today is International Women’s Day, and what a great day to wrap up our Women in Construction week! This week has been dedicated to highlighting the job opportunities and career paths one can create in the construction industry. We have many talented professionals in the industry and across our organization. We’ve loved sharing the variety of jobs, perspectives, and stories from these incredible MacMiller women this week. If you are looking to join a new team or forge a path in construction with your career – come join us!
Liz Fong – Operations Integration Manager
How did you get into the construction industry? When I decided not to complete a MBA, my friend told me about Oregon Tradeswomen because she knew I liked to build things. Through that program I was introduced to several trades, though I honed in on Sheet Metal because of the work diversity – HVAC, Architectural, Specialty Welding, Marine…Shop, Field, Detailing, etc.. I figured it could be a career I could be in until I retired without getting bored because there would be so many different opportunities. I began my apprenticeship at MacMiller’s shop in 2011 and have been with the company ever since.
What does an Operations Integration Manager do? Essentially I am a facilitator of data and processes for our Operations side. Though I interact most heavily with Sheet Metal, I do assist Plumbing and Fitting as well. My responsibilities extend from managing our Fabrication database and software utilization (for our Detailing Department, Fabrication Shop, Field Remote Entry Users) to managing how data generated by detailing models is accessed by various stakeholders (i.e. PowerBI sites for our MEP clash coordination, PowerApps for going paperless in our Sheet Metal shop, etc). I help to streamline workflows, support those workflows with tech integration, and ensure that the integration of change or new workflows are compatible with the larger MacMiller system. (The setup and management of the MacDuct database also falls under my umbrellas as it must be compatible with our shop processes.)
What do you love about your job? Diversity. While there are things that are certainly routine, there is also new tech and capabilities that weren’t available yesterday. I enjoy working with all the Trades, as they all have unique needs and challenges. I also enjoy working with the other MM business units, as some of my work is also with Estimating, Engineering, IT, and Special Projects (via MacDuct). Ultimately, I love to make things work for others. If I am successful at my job, others in the company will have an easier time doing their job.
In my experience, the prevailing culture of MM is one of openness to ideas and commitment to excellence and progress. This creates opportunities to contribute to the MM family in many ways, big and small. Opportunity is also accompanied by investment, not just in cutting edge technology but in employees. Through a variety of classes via MacTed, opportunities to learn new roles/responsibilities, team-building experiences, etc., employees are able to develop personally and professionally. My advice to new employees would be, “Don’t be shy. Come on in, the water is warm!”
How did you get into the construction industry? When I decided not to complete a MBA, my friend told me about To hear more from women in the construction industry, read more here.