Women in Construction Week: Julee Sauer

Julee started with Sellen 10 years ago as a laborer. Today, she a labor foreman and safety coordinator at the Seattle Children’s Hospital Building Care project.

What drew you to the construction industry?

“I saw the ability to make a career in this industry, and the pay and benefits were appealing.”

How long have you been with Sellen and how has your role changed over time?

“I’ve been with Sellen for 10 years. Prior to working at Sellen, I was in the construction clean industry. A few folks at Sellen saw my work ethic and asked if I wanted to work for Sellen. I started the very next day. Before I worked in the safety field, I was a laborer for five years, and now I’m a labor foreman and safety coordinator.”

How has the industry changed over time?

“I think diversity is the biggest change. About five years ago, when I got into safety, I started to see more women in construction. Also, being green and sustainable in everything we do is also a big change. I like to make sure that we’re doing our part, no matter how small it is.”

What do you enjoy most about your job? About working at Sellen?

“I enjoy learning new things, talking to everyone on the job, and making sure they’re all having a good day. When my grandson was injured he was at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Sellen moved me to the Children’s jobsite. They transferred me here so I could see him all the time and he could look down on the jobsite and see me — it was awesome! That was about six years ago, and I’ve been here ever since. I love it here, it’s an amazing job.”

Looking into the future of the industry, are there any goals you would like to see the industry meet?

“I’d like to see more women carpenters and more women getting into the safety field. In general, I’d like to see more women in the trades.”

What advice do you have for other women in the industry or interested in working in the industry?

“Chase after your dreams and don’t take no for an answer. Work hard – that’s the best thing that you can do. Lastly, try to learn something new every day. Even after 10 years in the industry, I continue to learn new things.”