Sometimes the career path you take is not the route you thought you were going to take. Michelle Walker is an amazing example of this! She is a leader at a Phoenix-based construction company, a meaningful role that she never expected to have. Michelle shares her unique journey and advice for job seekers.
Tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Michelle Walker. I have been married for almost 23 years and have two children, Ben is 20 and Lindsay is 17. I was born and raised in Northern Alberta, Canada, and moved to Arizona after university, I finally got my US Citizenship in 2020 and due to COVID, I was part of the first-ever drive-through citizenship ceremony! I enjoy all types of athletic activities especially running and love to watch football.
What is your occupation?
I am the Vice President of Finance & Administration at SSC Underground. I have worked at SSC for 23 years and worked my way through the accounting department. Currently in addition to overseeing the financial and administrative functions of the company I have a lot of focus on hiring, training, and developing our employees.
What is your favorite part of your job and why?
I love what we do, and I love the people! It is so amazing to think we are tunneling below lanes of active flowing traffic to install utilities and thousands of people drive over us each day and have no idea we are even there. Our crews are some of the hardest working, dedicated, and most respectful people you could encounter. I get so excited watching them learn, develop skills, and advance to do more than they might have even thought they were capable of!
What made you decide to go into this industry?
My dad was a general contractor, so I grew up around construction and working on his job sites. I have huge respect and admiration for people who can build things and am really intrigued and fascinated by the construction process and industry. I enjoy the very practical, no-nonsense nature of the industry and the value of hard work, innovation, and overcoming obstacles.
I stay in this industry because of the profound impact I have seen us be able to make in our employee’s lives. By empowering them with training and development and giving them an environment where they are respected and valued. It is awesome to see not only their technical skills develop but especially their confidence and soft skills like communication that benefit them at home and at work.
Can you describe your career path journey?
Prior to moving to Arizona my major in university was genetics! I had grown up always wanting to be a doctor. I figured out that I really did not want to pursue that path but really did not know what I wanted to do. I had the opportunity to start in an entry-level administrative position at SSC. Through that role, I was exposed to the accounting functions of the company. When an accounting position became available, I applied for it with the agreement that I would enroll in college accounting classes. I furthered my formal education as my role in the company developed to gain the skills needed. Over the first decade at SSC, I advanced in accounting before being promoted to VP of Finance & Administration in 2009.
Since then, I continued to pursue education and certifications, obtaining my Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) certification in 2014, my Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification in 2015, and my Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS) certification this year. My role has advanced along with my training and education as I have moved more into leadership functions with a priority on the employee experience function.
Over the past five years I have had new opportunities to work along our technical expert and owner, Arvid Veidmark. to learn at a more detailed level the estimating and project management functions of the business which has not only been exciting and so interesting but also helps greatly with the work I do with the employees.
Do you have any advice for others wanting to pursue a similar career to yours?
Be open to change and new experiences! Like I said, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. My dad always told me to be an accountant and it shows he was right! But beyond that, I think my openness to lifelong learning and wanting to understand as much of the business as possible has opened the doors to so many new experiences that make my role so much more exciting than it would be if I focused only on accounting.
Get out and get involved – join industry associations and meet people that you can learn from. My membership with the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) has exposed me to so many amazing professionals and companies and given me leadership opportunities that really enhance my role at SSC.