This article was written for Georgia Tech.
The School of Building Construction’s first-ever corporate partners program has launched, after two years of significant growth and rebuilding under the new leadership of School Chair Ece Erdogmus and joint networking efforts with Georgia Tech Development staff.
The goal of this new program is to connect industry and students in a variety of ways during the academic year. Bundling the career fair, the School’s annual awards banquet, spring career options conference, and more student-industry connecting endeavors, this program will continue to strengthen the School’s relationship with the Construction and Real Estate Development industries. Some of the funds generated by the program will provide scholarships to incoming and existing students.
“I am very excited to see this program launched and getting traction. The strength of the construction and real estate development industry around Atlanta and the Southeast was one of the primary reasons why I took on the role of the Chair of a School with a lot of “rebuilding” work to be done,” Erdogmus said.
“We have no shortage of construction site visits, internships, and industry expert guest lectures for our students pursuing these degrees,” she said, reiterating that Atlanta is one of the best locations in the country to have a construction school offering programs in construction science and management, program management, facility management, and real estate development.
As a Development Associate for the College of Design, Jacquelyn Schnieder (BSBC’06, MBA’18) said working on the program has been a rewarding journey. “As a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction alumna, it is an honor to support our corporate partners and see the program make a deep impact for the students in their academic, professional, and personal lives,” she said.
Brasfield and Gorrie was the first company to sign up as a corporate partner with the School.
“Graduates of Georgia Tech’s Construction Science and Management (BSCSM) program have the opportunity to become leaders in the construction industry, and I look forward to seeing that potential fulfilled,” said Brasfield & Gorrie Vice President and Regional Preconstruction Director (and School Advisory Board member) Chad Waters. “As a graduate of the program myself, I’m confident in the caliber of education Georgia Tech provides. The program’s graduates will be an asset to the construction industry.”
New South was the second company among the early supporters of this new initiative.
“With three in four BSCSM graduates being women, Georgia Tech is not only inspiring the next generation of students for successful careers but transforming the construction landscape by empowering women to enter the construction industry and embracing cutting-edge technology,” Kelley Thomas, Vice President of Human Resources at New South Construction said.
“The School of Building Construction’s unparalleled support from the industry transforms education into a dynamic experience, where theory meets practice, and aspirations become realities,” said Blaine Allen, the first true freshman of the new Construction Science and Management program and a recipient of the Advisory Board Scholarship.
Allen organizes the “BC Career Options Conference,” which aims to introduce some of the infinite career paths one can take with a BSCSM degree.
“For students within the School of Building Construction,” Allen said, “hearing about the alumni’s exciting career paths serves as a window into the possibilities of our future careers, enabling us to uncover our full potential as we navigate through our academic journey.”
Gilbane was quick to join the corporate partner program.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 20-plus years in the construction industry is that in order to be successful you have to learn quickly that construction is a team sport,” said Brian Steed, vice president of Gilbane. “We don’t just follow plans and specifications and build as a single player. Successful and long-lasting companies, like Gilbane, are advocating for our clients to make sure their buildings are high functioning and easily maintainable, their budgets are implemented effectively and efficiently, and the occupants’ views are heard.”
“Georgia Tech’s focus on incorporating the perspectives of owners, builders and facility managers into its Construction Science and Management program is key for their students’ success,” Steed said. “They join the industry already understanding that to have a successful project everyone has to work together towards a common goal.”