Julie Chamberland, LEED Green Associate
Project Engineer Trainer
KBE Building Corporation
Julie Chamberland, LEED Green Associate, is a Project Engineer Trainer with more than 30 years of special expertise in the construction industry. The diversity of her project experience is a reflection of her versatility and thoughtful approach to problem solving, as well as her desire to ensure that processes are followed correctly.
Julie started with KBE 16 years ago as a Project Engineer. In 2013, Julie was promoted to Senior Project Engineer after showing much success on such projects as the Rhode Island College Recreation Center and Quinebaug Middle College. Due to her diligence and hard work, Julie was again promoted in 2015 to Assistant Project Manager. Throughout her time here at KBE, Julie has been a trainer, coach, and mentor to several incoming Project Engineers. Her dedication to help grow our new KBE talent has not gone unnoticed and she is a valuable member of the team.
Question: What led you to a career in the construction industry?
My entrance into the construction industry was completely accidental. I was going through a major change in my life - a new relationship, a newborn, and a new job. I accepted a position as an administrative assistant with a general contractor in my town and found that I loved learning about Construction Administration.
Question: How has the context of being a woman in the industry changed since you started your career?
I think the career possibilities extended to women have definitely expanded well beyond my early days, when administrative support was pretty much it. Today, the opportunities are endless. It all depends on what you want to pursue.
How do you leverage your position to help recruit and retain more women in the industry?
I recently leveraged my position as project engineer trainer in two ways. One I saw, the need for a level up in the industry. Two, I created the position with the vision in mind, and pursued it with a logical plan to offer. The plan that I offer includes personal assistance, and helping individuals grow into the PE position, including both men and women.
What improvements can the industry make to help women succeed in the AEC industry?
One of the most important things we can do is training and promoting from within.