One of the things I enjoy most about my work is mentoring students as they find their way along a career path in construction. That is one of the reasons why I am so involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Construction Institute (CI), a program designed to help bring youth into the civil engineering industry.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of joining 36 students from across the country at the CI Student Days event in Charleston, South Carolina. The time spent together was truly invaluable, with a focus on learning opportunities, industry presentations, networking opportunities and panel discussions. As the current CI Vice President, I presented about the many possible career paths in civil engineering.
This year the students were also given the unique opportunity to tour the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River that connects downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant. This bridge illustrates engineering at its finest and provided insight into what goes into such an extensive project.
Just being with this group of top engineering students was enough to make me feel confident in the bright future of our industry.
Ryan’s work with CI’s Young Professionals Group, which he co-founded, has grown to a national effort to attract youth interest and participation in construction. The group’s Student Days Event brings together top engineering students from across the country to participate in real-life construction challenges wile meeting with potential employers who are seeking new talent. Interested in learning more? Visit https://studentdays.asce.org/.
