{"id":78577,"date":"2026-08-18T10:59:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T17:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=78577"},"modified":"2026-08-18T10:59:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T17:59:27","slug":"jacks-in-a-flash-grace-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/jacks-in-a-flash-grace-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacks in a Flash: Grace Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recent construction management graduate\u00a0<\/span>Grace Johnson<\/span><\/b>\u00a0hoped to get a job in the skilled trades after NAU. She had no idea\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0get on TV, too. Johnson was recently featured in \u201cBuilding Back America\u2019s Trades,\u201d a three-part docuseries produced by the Lowe\u2019s Foundation.\u00a0The series, which is available to watch on\u00a0HBO Max, discovery+ and Magnolia Network, explores Johnson\u2019s winding path to the trades and provides inspiration for those who\u2019d like to follow in her footsteps.\u00a0We asked the Lumberjack\u00a0grad\u00a0a few quick Qs about her journey to construction management and her experience on camera.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did your upbringing shape your decision to become a contractor?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Growing up with a dad who\u2019s a contractor, I was exposed early on to what it takes to build something from the ground up.\u00a0I spent a lot of time around job sites and saw firsthand the problem-solving, teamwork and pride that come with the work. That environment made the trades feel both familiar and exciting to me. It also showed me that construction\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0just about building\u00a0structures,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0about building communities. Over time, that really shaped my decision to pursue a career in the industry and eventually become a site superintendent.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has NAU\u2019s construction management program helped you prepare for this career?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

NAU\u2019s construction management program has given me\u00a0a strong foundation\u00a0in both the technical and leadership sides of the industry.\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been able to learn about project planning, safety,\u00a0scheduling\u00a0and budgeting, while also developing communication and leadership skills that are critical on a job site. The program has also helped me build confidence in stepping into a field where women are still underrepresented, and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0reinforced my goal of creating more accessible pathways for others like me.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What can people expect to see when they\u00a0watch\u00a0\u201cBuilding Back America\u2019s Trades\u201d?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Viewers will get a real look at what\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0like to pursue a career in the trades\u2014from the challenges to the wins. My journey on the show reflects both the learning curve and the determination it takes to succeed in this field.\u00a0They\u2019ll\u00a0see hands-on training,\u00a0mentorship\u00a0and the personal growth that comes with pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. More than anything, I hope people see that there are many different paths into\u00a0the trades\u00a0and that\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a rewarding, impactful career, especially for those who want to lead and make a difference.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Northern<\/span><\/p>\n


\nJill Kimball | NAU Communications
\n(928) 523-2282 | jill.kimball@nau.edu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recent construction management graduate\u00a0Grace Johnson\u00a0hoped to get a job in the skilled trades after NAU. She had no idea\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0get on TV, too. Johnson was recently featured in \u201cBuilding Back America\u2019s Trades,\u201d a three-part docuseries produced by the Lowe\u2019s Foundation.\u00a0The series, which is available to watch on\u00a0HBO Max, discovery+ and Magnolia Network, explores Johnson\u2019s winding path…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2880,"featured_media":78581,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1830],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jacks-in-a-flash"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2880"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78577"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78580,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78577\/revisions\/78580"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}