It seems like everyone is talking about how more women need to go into technical careers. For a while I considered studying computer science. But I found myself craving something more tangible. I decided to go into construction.
My dad is a general contractor, who works on residential projects. Through him I’ve come to appreciate the joy that comes with building.
A typical workday involves hard labor in the morning. Sanding rough wood in preparation for staining, nailing down plywood for a home remodel, organizing a creative plan for narrow work spaces. Then at noon, my family and I would gather for lunch. My cousin’s sister and I would try extending our lunches longer than our dads ever thought reasonable. We always lost those arguments and would end up working until the sun went down.
In the fall I’m heading to Cal Poly to study construction management, a career that I know isn’t going to be easy.
I’m ready to don a hard hat and challenge the status quo. Because at the end of the day, I’m committed to building something bigger than myself.