Fair gives students a jump on seeking work

MARQUETTE -- It's not too early for Northern Michigan University construction management students to look for work in their chosen fields.

On Thursday, a construction management career fair took place in the newly renovated Jacobetti Complex at NMU to allow students and potential employers mingle.

"This is an event to help students find careers in construction," said Heidi Blanck, a professor in the construction management program, who pointed out that 48 companies from around the United States attended the fair to meet with students seeking future employment, either through internships or full-time employees, in the field.

"They're going to come away from this with multiple opportunities," Blanck said of the students. "They're going to have choices to make when it comes to what they're going to do this summer for their long-term careers."

Blanck said the students ranged from freshmen to graduate students.

"There's opportunities no matter what level they are in the program right now," she said.

Blanck said construction management is a good program to study.

"Construction management is a thriving industry right now," she said. "Construction is general is really, really in need of qualified, competent people in all aspects of the industry, so we do our best with our recruiting methods and models to try to make sure that we're getting the right people in that can serve that need, and it's really paid off for those students that have chosen this career path," Blanck said.

Jeff Sheehan is vice president of the Eau Claire, Wisconsin office of Fahrner Asphalt Sealers LLC, which has a location in Iron River.

"We like to try and get some students that would like to possibly work for the summer and/or enter the professional career with us," said Sheehan said, who graduated from NMU in 2005 in construction management.

Sheehan said his company has many crews throughout the Midwest where, he acknowledged, the "freeze-and-thaw" weather conditions wreak havoc on regional roads.

"You don't maintain your pavements, they're going to fall apart," he said.

Zackary Brundage, a freshman studying construction management, said attending the event helped him learn how to speak with companies and gave him an opportunity to seek an internship or regular work.

"It's just a good way to start," Brundage said.