Experience to Help Others Grow: Q&A with Project Engineer Shaina Juan
Here at Gray, we are a family. And part of the benefit of being a true family is we get to help each other along the way. This means jumping in and lending a hand when a team member might be falling behind for whatever reason. But it also means that our newer and less-experienced team members get to benefit from the years of experience from those who have been in the business for decades. We spoke with Shaina Juan, project engineer at Gray West, about her time at Gray, what she enjoys most about her work, and how the experience of others is helping her grow in new ways.
Describe your normal workday-your “day in the life.”
My day-to-day shifts depending on the project I am on. Recently, I was reassigned to a new project working as a hybrid project/field engineer. So, there are days when I will work remotely from home catching up on documentation, while other days I am on-site with my site manager and project manager working through plans and problem solving. In both scenarios, I’m calling all my subcontractors and ensuring procurement of material matches our construction schedule dates, double checking all submittal and RFI responses are addressed and distributed, and overall making sure both my project manager and site manager have what they need to succeed.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
My colleagues and the projects that we win. The industrial entertainment division at Gray West exceed expectations when it comes to the depth and complexities of projects that we win. My co-workers have extensive amounts of experience working with companies that I had grown up familiar with, so listening in on their experiences is always fun. Also, learning about the latest technologies and modern architecture has always been very fascinating to me. It brings me a lot of pride that I work at a company that delivers great projects and excels at being customer driven.
In one word or phrase, how would you describe Gray?
Flexible. Even before the pandemic, Gray emphasized a healthy work-life balance, which was easy to maintain. In the early stages of the pandemic, with fear lingering in the air about what construction meant as far as “essential work,” Gray remained calm and made every effort to ensure everyone had the tools they needed to be safe and continue to work diligently. I’m grateful that even during these difficult times I was able to stay busy and support myself, thanks to Gray.
What has been the most memorable experience with Gray since you started?
It’s difficult to pinpoint memorable moments as I’ve genuinely enjoyed many moments being at Gray. But a series of memorable moments I’ve experienced would be my training transition from intern to project engineer. My first mentor, Angela Rozanek, was key in my development to becoming the project engineer I am today. Her empathy and patience towards my moments of frustrations has made me diligent and detail oriented. As a young project engineer, and a woman in this industry, it is easy for many to doubt me based on my construction experience. She has always kept me engaged and continued to challenge my thinking to this day, and for that I am grateful. In addition to that, we remain steady friends, and I can always count on her for any questions I have about work or the general advice about the best place to grab a bite to eat!
If someone was visiting the Gray West area, what would you recommend to them as a “must-do?”
I’m originally from San Francisco, and it’s a little way away from Anaheim, but if you can make the trip, I absolutely recommend visiting COIT Tower. If you buy tickets, you can go to the top of the tower. At 210-feet-high, it is the highest elevation you can be at in San Francisco. The view oversees the famous crooked Lombard Street, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Transamerica Pyramid, and Fisherman’s Wharf!
If you would like to learn more about joining the Gray family, please visit gray.com/careers.
- Category:
- Stories
- Construction
- Commercial