Justin Gallimore always knew construction was in his future, but it was a Shop & Site Tour hosted by SMACNA-WW’s SMAC-YA group that set him on the path to a rewarding career with MacDonald-Miller.
By / Jessica Kirby
Back in 2019, SMACNA-Western Washington’s SMAC-YA group, comprised of people looking to draw youth together and into the sheet metal industry, arranged a Shop & Site Tour for students attending community colleges and universities in the Seattle area. Networking, education, and recruitment activities geared to young people are the business of SMAC-YA, SMACNA-WW’s Young Leaders Association, which focuses on attracting young members to the association and industry.
“The event was open to college students interested in a fast-paced, innovative, and challenging career in commercial construction,” says Patricia Bovie, administrative services co-ordinator for SMACNA-Western Washington. “We asked several community colleges to invite their students to join us for a site tour of the new Rainier Tower building in downtown Seattle by MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions and a McKinstry Co. shop tour. Afterwards, we provided a chance for members to network with young professionals at a Happy Hour hosted at Bowlero South Seattle in Tukwila, Wa.”
Fifteen students from Edmonds Community College, Renton Technical College, Seattle University, and University of Washington participated in the event, designed to demonstrate what a career in sheet metal looks like on the site and in the shop.
One of those students was Justin Gallimore, then a construction management student at Renton Technical College. At the time, he was fascinated by the tour and experiencing parts of the construction industry he’d never seen before, but he wasn’t quite ready to jump into a career in sheet metal. He had school to complete and other opportunities to explore. Today, he is enjoying a fulfilling, dynamic career as a project engineer with MacDonald-Miller and loving every minute of it.
Getting started
At the time of the Shop & Site Tour, Gallimore was working full-time waiting tables while attending Renton Technical College full-time. Even with a flexible restaurant schedule, he still found it difficult to go to school full-time.
“Renton Technical College’s Construction Management program was amazing, though, and professors always found a way to work with my schedule and made sure that I was doing well,” he says.
He’d always loved the construction trades. Growing up, he was surrounded by people working in the trades, including both his parents, both his grandparents, and both his brothers.
“I knew the Shop & Site Tour would expose me to a side of construction that I hadn’t seen before,” he says. “Most importantly, I’d hoped it would help expand my network in the industry.”
The tour
SMACNA-Western Washington’s Site & Shop Tour was designed to give students a first-hand look at a day in the life of a sheet metal worker. The first stop on the tour was Rainier Square Tower, an active jobsite provided by MacDonald Miller in downtown Seattle. Students arrived by shuttle bus and met tour guides, who took the participants in the lift up to the 40th floor of the tower. The lift scaled the outside of the building, providing stunning views of downtown Seattle during the ascent.
“I was thoroughly impressed,” Gallimore says. “Sending us right into the project, up the lift to the 40th floor was amazing, almost overwhelming… in a good way,” he says. “There was so much to soak in and lay eyes on.”
After touring the top levels, students took the lift back down to the ground level where guides explained more of the mixed-use retail space on the bottom floor.
“During the tour, guides explained how the revolutionary core is constructed using steel frame around a concrete core,” says Bovie. “This was especially useful to students interested in the modern engineering of the tower.”
The second stop on the tour was McKinstry’s office and sheet metal shop. During lunch they received an educational presentation about McKinstry’s fabrication shop and the tools and technologies that generate 3D models of fabrication pieces before production.
After lunch, the group toured the shop and learned about all the work that occurs off of the jobsite, and how pre-fab saves a massive amount of time and project costs. “That alone was quite intriguing,” Gallimore says. “A task that could take two weeks in the field can now be completed in just four days in the field due to prefab. This was such an amazing process to see unfold right before my eyes.”
The tour’s final stop was the office, which demonstrated the significant amount of pre-construction work that takes place prior to when any of the fabrication or installation even begins. Tasks included using 3D modeling to verify equipment, systems, and parts compatibility.
“This is another great example of the cost/time efficiency we saw out in the field,” Gallimore says. “Overall, this tour was eye opening and inspired my interest in the construction industry, but most importantly, where the industry is going.”
The day concluded at Bowlero South Seattle where a bowling Happy Hour was held with SMACNA members for networking. Students were able to capitalize on the networking opportunities with different companies that attended the bowling happy hour and exchange contact info.
Decisions, decisions
Though thoroughly impressed and inspired by the tour, Gallimore didn’t jump into he construction career immediately. “I didn’t want to jump the gun, as in pursuing a career without reviewing other opportunities, as well,” he says. “Especially since I was still attending Renton Technical College as a full-time student and living in Lake Stevens, Wa, so the driving was a lot, in the first place.”
Shortly after this tour, Gallimore was offered an opportunity as an Assistant Superintendent with Exterior Finishes LLC. The company’s office was based out of Lake Stevens, which drastically influenced his decision to accept the position. Just shy of a year with that company he was promoted to Superintendent and spent just over a year running his own multi-family and commercial construction projects.
“This was a great opportunity for me to get hands-on experience in the construction management field while I was attending RTC and after I graduated the program,” Gallimore says. “My key goal was to get as much experience in the construction industry as possible before graduating.”
Coming full circle
Eventually, he came back to MacDonald-Miller, enticed by the prospect of growth and room to move within the company.
“Everything I had toured years ago was still the same—a healthy/efficient environment and, especially, the drive to reduce our carbon footprint,” he says. “That alone was inspiring for me to see—a company still pushing and standing behind their very own word and exceeding those expectations.”
Today, Gallimore works as a Project Engineer for the newly constructed Washington State Convention Center and the Washington 1000 17-storey office building across the street from the convention center. At the time of writing, he was wrapping up the last of material submittals for Washington 1000 and reviewing daily requests for information on this project.
As for the Convention Center, he does quality control, install checks, radiant manifold pressure checks, assists with equipment startups/tests, and is putting together the equipment training for when the building is 100% ready for owner turnover.
“What I enjoy the most is the hands-on experience with multiple tasks on two different projects in two entirely different phases,” he says. “I have access to all our foreman on site and in office, and they are always willing to answer my questions. This makes everyday a learning opportunity.”
Advice for up-and-comers
Gallimore has some advice for people who are still in school and perhaps reserved about getting into the construction/sheet metal/mechanical industry.
“I highly recommend you just jump right in,” he says. “There is so much room for growth and an extensive amount of opportunity if you have the drive to want it. Also, stay eager to learn more and always ask questions. You’d be surprised what information you can acquire from co-workers and your uppers.” ▪
