Susan Alfaro
Title: Assistant Project Manager
Company: EC Electric
Location: Portland, Ore.
Age: 26
Years on the Job: 2
Interests: Reading mystery/thriller novels, biking, abstract drawing, listening to podcasts, and building with LEGOs
While studying construction engineering at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore., Susan Alfaro was encouraged to seek work with a general contractor. One of her professors, however, emphasized the importance of all divisions within the construction industry, and after completing an internship with an electrical contractor, she knew precisely which career path she wanted to follow.
While pursuing her bachelor’s degree, she also attended lectures, participated in internships, and took courses that helped prepare her for her current position.
“There’s only so much you can learn in college, but I am lucky enough to work for a company that really cares about your growth and learning,” Alfaro says.
To accomplish everything that must be done each day, Alfaro arrives on site around 6:30 a.m., following an hour-long commute. As assistant project manager, she is responsible for pricing RFIs, inputting change orders, meeting with the general contractor, and having one-on-one teaching moments with the project manager or estimator.
“I was fortunate to begin my career with a project manager that cares about my learning and growth, so my responsibilities are almost the same as when I started, but the difficulty level has risen,” Alfaro says. “The favorite part about my role is that I get to be on site learning, seeing something get built from the ground up.”
Alfaro is currently working on a high school modernization project that involves the demolition of four buildings and the renovation of three others. She is assisting with submittals, pricing RFIs, sending through change orders, and performing document control. In the next 10 years, she envisions herself as a project manager and running multiple jobs.
“I plan to keep learning every day, continuing my training, asking questions, and having fun,” Alfaro says.
