For many industries, strategic communication is a competitive advantage. In construction and the skilled trades, it is also essential to building trust, alignment and long-term relationships. That intersection is where Elena Simovski, a recent graduate of the Strategic Communication Online M.A. program (StratCom), has found her professional home.
Simovski is a communications specialist at Barton Malow, a 102-year-old construction company based in Southfield, Michigan. In her role, she supports both internal and external communications, from awards submissions and employee interviews to writing articles for the company’s intranet and public-facing website. She also contributes to larger communication campaigns, including Women in Construction Week, helping spotlight people, projects and purpose across the organization.
While Simovski did not initially set out to work in blue collar-adjacent industries, her career path has naturally led her there. Her first role after college was in digital marketing at a plumbing manufacturer, which introduced her to the skilled trades. A later move into construction felt like the logical next step.
“What’s kept me in this space is the people and the purpose,” Simovski said. “The work is tangible, impactful and often underrepresented. I’m motivated by the opportunity to tell stories that highlight the skill, pride and real-world value behind what’s being built.”
That storytelling mindset is especially important in an industry where communication plays a critical operational role. One example Simovski points to is Barton Malow’s enterprise-wide internal conference, hosted each fall for team members across North America. Last year, the company held eight events, including two days in Detroit that drew nearly 900 attendees.
The communications team was responsible for ensuring employees had clear, consistent information about event logistics, registration and travel. Simovski helped support a coordinated, multi-channel communication plan that included conference-branded emails, intranet stories and weekly newsletter reminders. The approach drove awareness and strong attendance across all locations.
Beyond logistics, Simovski sees communication as a tool for challenging misconceptions about construction and the skilled trades.
“One misconception I like to challenge is that this industry isn’t for everyone,” she said. “While skilled labor is a major part of it, construction isn’t just field work. It’s accounting, marketing, labor relations, communications, business development, HR and IT. It takes a wide range of skill sets to keep an organization like Barton Malow running.”
That broader, strategic view of communication was sharpened through Michigan State’s Strategic Communication Online M.A. program. Simovski said the curriculum pushed her to be more intentional about why strategies work and how to ground decisions in research, audience insight and measurable outcomes.
“Courses in branding, storytelling and crisis communication strengthened my ability to anticipate audience reactions and align messaging with organizational values,” she said. “That’s especially important in an industry built on trust, safety and long-term relationships.”
One course, CAS 832: Strategic Message Development, has had an immediate and lasting impact on her day-to-day work. The course refined her approach to clarifying objectives, identifying audience insights and crafting messages that align with Barton Malow’s core purpose and values.
She also cited the Organizational Communication for Leadership certificate as particularly valuable for understanding internal dynamics, leadership messaging and how communication can drive alignment during periods of change.
As the construction industry faces workforce shortages and generational shifts, Simovski sees strategic communication as a powerful force for the future.
“There are so many stories to be told,” she said. “Construction is full of highly skilled people who take real pride in what they build, yet their stories often live behind the scenes. Strategic communication can elevate the visibility and dignity of these careers and encourage new faces to find their place here.”
Simovski’s path underscores a core message of the StratCom program: strong communication skills are not industry-specific. They are transferable, strategic and increasingly essential across sectors, from corporate offices to construction sites and everywhere in between.
By Claire Dippel