May 19, 2025 10:10 am
Building Success
When Brianna Davies first enrolled at Pierce College, she was already a decade into her career in the construction industry. What she sought was not a fresh start — but a chance to grow.
Today, Davies, now a Senior Project Engineer for Forma Construction, is helping shape the very campus where she once studied, leading major renovations to create vibrant new spaces for future generations of students.
"It’s pretty cool," Davies said. "I'm pretty sure I had classes in this building. It's a really neat feeling — and it's nice to be able to give back to an institution that gave so much to me."
Finding the Right Fit
Davies' journey to Pierce College began with a practical need: flexibility. After ten years of working in construction, she wanted to deepen her knowledge of construction management, but her full-time job and the limited course offerings at major universities made it challenging.
Pierce College, with evening and flexible scheduling options, offered the perfect solution.
"They had the construction management courses at a time that I could take while maintaining my career," Davies explained. "Not only that, but instructors were very flexible with my schedule when I had to do shift work."
The program’s adaptability allowed Davies to balance full-time work and part-time classes successfully, a testament to the college’s commitment to meeting students where they are.
Courses like Means and Methods and Scheduling made an immediate impact on Davies’ career.
"They helped me a lot," Davies said. "They built off the knowledge I had from the administrative side and taught me more in-depth construction management concepts."
Davies' growth didn’t stop after graduation. Recently, she returned to Pierce College, this time as a guest presenter for current Construction Management students — coming full circle from student to mentor.
From Administrative Assistant to Project Engineer
When she first entered the construction field, Davies was seeking a "nine-to-five" role. She began as a part-time secretary for a mechanical contractor, while taking professional development classes through a local career center. From there, persistence, curiosity, and a drive to learn propelled her upward.
Ten years into her career, when her employer introduced a college reimbursement program, she saw an opportunity she couldn't pass up.
"I’d always wanted to take construction management courses, but the bigger universities only offer them during the daytime — and construction jobs are typically 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.," she said.
Pierce College’s online, hybrid and evening offerings allowed her to take the next step without stepping away from her work.
Shaping the Future
Today, Davies just finished a major project renovating the Olympic South building at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. The work included constructing state-of-the-art classrooms, space for Pierce College’s Education programs, including the Early Childhood Education Lab School, in partnership with Clover Park School District, faculty offices, study spaces, flexible music rooms, an 1,100-square-foot gallery space and Central Washington University’s Pierce County extension site.
"We've created an outdoor learning area, an art gallery with a sound-dampening corridor — as soon as you enter, everything becomes more mellow and muted. It's very peaceful," Davies said.
Her pride in the project is clear, both as a professional and as a former student whose own learning journey was shaped within these walls. When asked what advice she would give to current and future Construction Management students, Davies encouraged perseverance.
"For those who enter the program without previous construction experience, don't give up hope," she said. "A lot of companies want you to have experience but just keep at it. Keep learning and you’ll get into it."
Brianna Davies' story reflects the heart of the Pierce College mission: providing accessible, life-changing education that empowers students to lead and serve in their communities.
As the walls rise around Olympic South, they stand not just as structures of concrete and steel, but as symbols of opportunity — built by one of Pierce College’s own.