In this episode, the featured not-expert is Farheen Hussain. Farheen is a construction management technology professional at Jacobs. Starting out as an architect, she successfully pivoted into a career in construction management, where she is now making a definitive impact while challenging existing norms in a male dominated industry.
#construction #constructionmanagement #womeninconstruction #architecture #projectmanagement #constructionsuccess #purdueuniversity #genderequality #womenpower #constructionengineering
#projectmanagement #podcast #readysetdo #creator #newpodcast
We discuss:
- What a degree in architecture entails and Farheen’s motivations to switch career tracks.
- How a degree in Construction Management Technology (CMT) fulfilled Farheen's desire to build real-world structures.
- The culture shocks Farheen faced when moving to the US for her Master's in CMT.
- Addressing the necessary unlearning to excel in CMT academics and the importance of teaching assistantships.
- Guidance on finding internships without prior professional experience and lessons learned during Farheen’s internship.
- Converting internships to full-time positions in the CMT field.
- A Day in the Life of a CMT professional and navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry.
- Advice on handling conflicts in the workplace, including when to escalate and maintaining project continuity.
This discussion is for anyone who is considering a career in Construction Management Technology, or someone who is looking to make the switch into a career in CMT.
Resources:
Podcast Website - readysetdo.transistor.fm
Farheen's LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/farheen-hussain-a37953188/
Farheen's Instagram - farheen_hussain
Timestamps:
(00:00:00) Intro & Background
(00:03:30) What does the study of architecture entail
(00:10:00) Path after graduation & motivations for career pivot
(00:12:10) First exposure to building real-world actualizations instead of drawings
(00:16:20) Possible paths after an undergrad in architecture
(00:19:15) Culture shock upon arrival in the US
(00:22:40) Academics deep-dive for MS in CMT in the US - unlearning
(00:26:00) What exactly does a MS in CMT entail?
(00:29:00) Importance of teaching assistantships + how to get one?
(00:31:40) Finding and doing internships - resume + networking
(00:35:18) Construction Tech industry in the US - overview
(00:38:50) First exposure to working in the US as a CMT professional
(00:42:00) Day in the life of a Construction Management professional
(00:47:30) Insider “secrets” about hospitals (learnt via building hospitals)
(00:50:20) Experience with working in a male-dominated field
(00:55:40) Dealing with conflict/gender discrimination
(00:59:20) Outro + Gratitude