“You get what you put out”: Insights into the success of Cal Poly’s construction management department

Sean Ross scanned the room, looking at the students milling around holding their resumes. Some wore suits; others wore buttons and ties. Ross took a deep breath and approached his first company booth of the day. Little did he know that the conversations he would have that day would lead to an offer of a full-time position.

This is common among Cal Poly construction management students, including Ross, a real estate finance major with a minor in construction management.

“As a construction management minor, going to my first career fair as a sophomore was nerve-wracking,” Ross said. “I didn’t know what to say. I felt like I was just a kid in a big pond, a little fish, and so I just jumped in.”

Cal Poly’s Construction Management Career Fair is so large that it cannot fit into the Cal Poly Rec Center, where career fairs are held regularly. Instead, the department hosts over 90 companies at the Alex Madonna Expo Center.

With a 95% job placement rate and an average starting salary of $75,000 for graduates, Cal Poly’s construction management department. Through a strong alumni base, close-knit community and practical opportunities, the department has combined academic rigor with real-world preparation.

According to the 2022-2023 Cal Poly Graduate Status Report, the average placement rate for full-time positions across all majors at the university is 76%.

The department’s success has not gone unnoticed: enrollment has doubled in the last decade. Much of this enrollment growth is due to construction management’s positive employment outlook. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of construction managers is expected to increase by 9% over the next decade.

Practical preparation is the key to the department’s success in job placement. Ross believes this is a big reason employers are actively hiring Cal Poly students.

“Because Cal Poly is one of the stronger programs in California for any major, and then you apply that ‘learn by doing’ curriculum to such a hands-on major, such a hands-on degree, you can go to a company and say, ” Yes, I poured concrete.” “I did it in my lab last week,” Ross said. “I feel like that’s why.”

CM Administrative Support Coordinator, Emma Blair, assists with student advising and day-to-day operations of the department. She has seen firsthand the experiences students in the department can have.

“There’s a preschool nearby where they’ve made improvements to the sidewalks,” Blair said. “The Paso Robles Police Department has had new stairs installed for their shooting range area.” Blair also said organizations will be asking for help with projects.

Why the construction management was successful

Every construction management student must complete a final project. Many usually work for a construction company. These projects range from urban development to jobs for organizations within the city. Partnerships with companies and organizations like these are essential to the department.

A large part of the job placement success rate is due to industry involvement. Blair says many of the department’s industry partners and supporters are graduates. They return to Cal Poly to recruit, fund competitive teams and travel to construction sites. Last year, the department hosted an interdisciplinary field trip that was entirely funded by a Bay Area construction company.

“Our faculty members really want to introduce students to all of these different opportunities and networking events, and that leads to a lot of good activities outside of the classroom,” Blair said.

The efficiency of the department’s job placement rate is a testament to its commitment to students and its close-knit community.

One of these student engagement programs is the Cal Poly Associated Students of Construction Management (ASCM), a student-led umbrella program that organizes student engagement initiatives, golf tournaments and events that may be sponsored by companies.

Senior Mason Chamberlin is a board member of ASCM and has seen the opportunities that CM offers.

“CM just offers a lot of opportunity,” Chamberlin said. “I would say the best thing about it is the opportunities and you get what you make of it. You have to put in some work. It’s not just a given.”

Chamberlin is responsible for organizing the annual CM golf tournament this spring. In addition to the golf tournament, ASCM organizes barbecue evenings to strengthen the sense of community among the students. Chamberlin said the CM department helps the student-run club by mentoring them and connecting them with the right people who have money for what they want to do.

Ross also felt influenced by the department’s professors.

“Most professors are so down to earth,” Ross said. “Even though they have had extremely successful careers in the industry, they are coming back. You want to give back to Cal Poly, and you can have a real conversation about what the industry is doing.”

The department wants to continue to grow, increase student participation, create opportunities and start new projects.

“We want to keep up with job placement, maintain the sense of community we have and maintain a lot of the fun projects and initiatives we have,” Blair said.