I love the atmosphere. I love the chaos. My job is never boring! 

Growing up in Anchorage Alaska, Aja DeVore had her heart set on being a musher, a dog sled driver. As she matured, a growing interest in business and accounting led to an accounting job at a large tech firm. That position eventually led to her first construction job as an Accounting Specialist for Andersen Construction (headquartered in Portland, OR). From there she was introduced to all things construction and eventually landed in Boise, Idaho where she has worked at McAlvain Companies for eight years. “I work for an incredible company that has supported me through multiple roles. I love the people, I love the atmosphere, I love the chaos. My job is never boring,” she says. 

It wasn’t always this easy. 

Aja describes how she had to challenge some elements of her own upbringing to succeed in the construction industry. “By far, my greatest challenge has been overcoming what was so engrained in me as a young girl, as it is for many young women,” she says, “Be polite. Be doting. Be refined.” She admits that while these can be great characteristics, they didn’t always serve her well in the construction industry, especially in the field, and it has taken and still takes effort to use those characteristics in a way that’s advantageous to her role, her team, and her company. “I’ve had to also learn to be confident, assertive, a listener, and a leader,” she explains. As I was fighting against certain qualities and learning to adopt others, I was surprised to find out that I was surrounded with people who appreciated them all and believed in me. Construction ended up being the perfect fit.”  

She credits her NAWIC membership with opening doors to an incredible number of networking opportunities, friendships and peers. “It truly shows for itself,” she notes, “I’ve been able to reach out to my contacts for different projects, questions, purchases that I’ve met through NAWIC. It makes a world of difference to have those kinds of contacts in your back pocket. Formerly serving on my local chapter’s (Boise #245) Board of Directors and as a Treasurer has also expanded my working knowledge of nonprofit businesses.” 

Asked about her proudest accomplishment at this point of her career, she says, “It’s always the right now and what’s next. Every year I can look back and see that I’ve progressed in one way or another. The last year specifically has been full of accomplishments, but few that I owe thanks to myself. My accomplishments are a direct result of opportunities given to me by many extraordinary peers in the industry.” 

Her company is a strong supporter as well. “I have an incredible team at McAlvain Companies, Inc. that not only says they support women in the industry but shows it through their actions. My continued involvement in NAWIC is proof of that! We have more than doubled the number of women that work for McAlvain in the last couple of years.”  

Industry trends that excite Aja include AI and robotics. “Have you even seen the robot dogs?” she asks, “If not, do yourself a favor and google “Spot, the Robot Dog” and dive deeper into the incredible technology Boston Dynamics has put in the real world for us to use. Spot can integrate with DroneDeploy software to do some pretty incredible things!”  

Young adults in the industry also interest her. “Most of us have heard that there’s a trade shortage, or a gap, where professionals will be retiring from the industry, yet we don’t have enough new professionals entering the industry. I am passionate about bringing knowledge of what we do to young minds and encouraging careers in architecture, engineering, and construction. If you are too, there’s an amazing organization called ‘ACE Mentor Program of America’ which can be helpful for young women or men.” 

Aja also describes what she sees as a strong need in construction. “Women in our industry need more sponsorship. I would not be where I am now without the support and sponsorship of my women and men counterparts. I hope that we as an industry can make a conscious effort to create and support mentorship and sponsorship for women in construction.” To women considering a career in construction but still unsure, she offers encouragement, “Give it a try! You don’t have to fit a certain mold to be a woman in construction. There are so many avenues! I am so grateful that I somehow stumbled into the industry. 

What’s Aja’s plan for the future? “I want to keep growing and keep pushing the limits of my career. I’d love to build a giant building in a giant city at some point. NYC are you hiring?” 

If you know of a NAWIC member that deserves to be recognized as a Best Person for the Job, contact us today!