Last month, several W. M. Jordan team members had the opportunity to teach several classes of students in Virginia Tech’s Myers-Lawson School of Construction. W. M. Jordan has several projects currently under construction on Virginia Tech’s campus which is why the school approached WMJ about the unique opportunity to work with the students who were watching our buildings go up.
WMJ Senior Project Manager Scott Brame and Project Manager Brandon Renick guest lectured for a senior level Building Construction class. Students have been working in groups using a real project to develop a construction management proposal for their Capstone project.
Students in this class used the Virginia Tech Classroom Building, a W. M. Jordan project, as their project example. Scott and Brandon worked on the construction of the VT Classroom from 2014 to 2016, making them a great source of information for the students.
“Working with this class was a great way to engage with the students about something we know really well that is directly related to a project they are working on,” said Brame.
Scott and Brandon talked to the students about the scope of the overall project, lessons learned, what to look for in developing a proposal, recommending trade partners to owners, developing a schedule and incorporating Lean principals into their project approach.
WMJ also had the opportunity to have Senior VP of Operations John Angle, Business Development Manager Ryan Stinnett and Employee Engagement Coordinator Sydney Galoozis lecture three classes of Building Construction students.
Angle spoke to the students about building leadership skills and preparing for your first full-time job in the construction industry. He spoke about building relationships as a leader, learning from your mistakes, working with a mentor, interview tips and how to present yourself in a professional manner.
Next, Ryan Stinnett and Sydney Galoozis lead a discussion on the role Business Development and Marketing play in a construction firm. Ryan went over the cycle of converting a potential opportunity into a project award, while also discussing the people that go into making that project award a reality.
Sydney and Ryan stressed the importance of brand integrity and consistency. The message your brand sends about your company and your culture can go a long way in how you are perceived prior to the project ever being awarded.
“The classes really enjoyed getting to talk to three different people within the company. Not only are we in three different roles at WMJ but also at three different points in our careers. Our perspectives showed them the different long-term opportunities in construction,” said Galoozis.
The group also spoke with the students about the benefits of working in the construction industry and how they can go about getting their first full-time construction job. They covered everything form resume writing, the benefits of networking and securing an internship during your time in school and tips on how to nail your interview. These skills are often overlooked when students are thinking about the start of their career, however they can have a major impact on getting your first job.
VT Building Construction students have also gone on several tours of our Holden Hall Renovation and our VT CID Residence Hall project. We look forward to teaching more students as our projects on campus continue to progress.
At W. M. Jordan, we believe you never stop learning. We would like to thank Virginia Tech for giving us the opportunity to help educate the builders of tomorrow.
Featured in this article:
John Angle
Senior Vice President
of Operations
Scott Brame
Senior Project Manager
Brandon Renick
Project Manager
Ryan Stinnett
Business Development Manager
Sydney Galoozis
Employee Engagement Coordinator
