Sixty students from the BYU-Idaho construction program will be traveling to the Nugget Casino Resort in Reno, Nevada, from Feb. 6 to 9 to participate in the Associated Schools of Construction 2019 Student Competition.
The construction students will showcase their skills by competing against students from around the mountain region, including Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana.
BYU-I has a history of success in this competition.
“They bring home trophies every year,” said Shawn Jensen, a faculty member in the Department of Design and Construction Management.
In 2018, BYU-Idaho students placed first in the Sustainable Building category. They also placed third in the Design Building category.
“Students will be split up into groups of six people each and will be working on real construction projects,” Jensen said.
Jensen said an intense planning period goes into the trip, including figuring out needed materials, their costs, the presentation, calculations, contracts, scheduling and more.
“They are only given one day to plan every single detail and to finalize their presentations,” Jensen said. “It is a lot of work but these students are ready for it.”
At the competition, there are many ways for students to make connections with companies in their fields of study. Students get job offers as companies see their skill levels and the ability they have to work hard under so much stress.
“The construction program at BYU-Idaho is growing,” Jensen said. “It has a high retention rate, which means students who start in construction stay and are able to develop their skills and passions.
The program gives students many hands-on opportunities like this to use their knowledge and skills in real-world situations. This competition is one of those hands-on experiences students at BYU-I have access to.
