Preston Companies is participating in Women in Construction (WIC) Week by showcasing some of the powerhouse women at Preston.

Women in Construction Week celebrates and promotes the role of women in the construction industry. Started by NAWIC (The National Association of Women in Construction), the first WIC Week began in 1998 and has grown and expanded each year since.

Today, Preston’s employee resource group POWER (Preston Opportunities for Women to Excel and Rise) would like to highlight Estimator Ali Wells.

Tell us about your role and background at Preston.
I am an Estimator from our Sacramento office, I have worked in the construction industry at Preston Pipelines for almost six years. I started as a Project Engineer in our Santa Clara office and moved to our Sacramento office in 2021.

Estimating involves a lot of external communication with our clients, vendors, and at times our competitors. What does the landscape look like for women in these roles? Do you feel Preston is ahead of the curve or behind? Do you have any examples of challenges you faced as a woman in estimating, or has it been a neutral experience overall?

Many of our clients have women working in Estimating roles. Compared to my previous role as a Project Engineer, I see a lot more women in the industry as an Estimator. As for our competitors, when attending a prebid job walk, I am usually the only woman, so I would say Preston is ahead of the curve in terms of other underground subcontractors. Overall, being a woman in estimating has been a great experience and I enjoy connecting with our clients, vendors, and competitors.