YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT

NOVEMBER 2019

Megan Butcher, Project Manager

Fulcrum Associates

Megan Butcher, Project Manager for Fulcrum Associates, developed a can-do attitude early in life. At fifteen, she participated in the Explorers, a career exploration program affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, where a friend told her she couldn’t become a firefighter because she was a girl. Never the type to take no for an answer, Megan promptly began training as a volunteer firefighter. Today, she still serves as an EMT and an Engineer for her local volunteer fire department.

Unlike many trades professionals, Megan didn’t grow up in the construction industry, though her parents were still responsible for instilling in her a love of construction. When she was sixteen, her father retired from the military and moved the family to his hometown. Though none of them had a background in the trades, Megan’s family worked tirelessly over the course of a year building a house, subbing out only the site work, masonry, roofing, plumbing, and electrical work. The experience left Megan with an appreciation for trade skills that persisted into her college years, where she volunteered for the Other Carpenter, an organization that renovates homes in order to save them from being condemned.

In her senior year of an international relations undergraduate, upon realizing that she didn’t want to become a lawyer after all, Megan recalled her love of construction and decided to pursue an advanced degree in construction management. After interning with an owner’s representative as an Owner’s Project Manager, she started her career in construction as an Assistant Project Manager for a general contractor.

True to her fearless nature, Megan’s favorite part of her role as PM is the hands-on nature of the job. She has a hand in many aspects of a project, from scheduling and estimating to financial accounting, and she appreciates the diversity and autonomy of her work. Often working from the field instead of the office, Megan likes to spend her days learning new skills, solving problems, and getting her hands dirty.

When asked what advice she has for young trades workers, Megan encourages young workers not to shy away from trial by fire, as there are ample opportunities to learn on the job. She also recommends starting from the ground and working your way up. Understanding the skill and effort that goes into the day-to-day execution of a job makes you a better project manager and problem solver.