Auburn building science grads in high demand

Almost 600 students visited 135 employers, including Holder Construction, at the building science career fair this fall.

With more than $12 billion in economic activity generated in 2023, the state of Alabama’s non-residential construction industry is booming, and demand for qualified workers is so high that one industry association has called on Auburn University to double the size of its building science program.

“The McWhorter School of Building Science prepares outstanding graduates that are work-ready,” said Billy Norrell, president of the Alabama chapter of Associated General Contractors. “The industry is vital to Alabama’s economic health. I firmly believe that investing in the expansion of the McWhorter School of Building Science would not only elevate the institution’s standing in the academic community, but also equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to address the complex challenges of the construction environment in the 21st century.”

In fact, so many employers want to hire Auburn grads for summer internships, co-op placements and full-time jobs that the building science program ran out of room for firms at this fall’s career fair, filling all available spots only a few days after registration opened. Hosted by the school’s Career Services office each semester, the event has moved to Neville Arena to accommodate the increased participation. Employers are attending because they know they’ll be hiring high-quality graduates who require little to no on-the-job training, and that’s good news for students; Auburn’s building science majors have a 100% post-graduation job placement rate, with an average starting salary of more than $70,000.

At the Sept. 19 job fair, 135 employers were competing to hire the 60 students who are preparing to graduate in December, many of whom have already accepted jobs as far back as a year ago.

A partnership for all times

One of those companies vying for employees is Holder Construction, a longtime supporter of Auburn’s building science program headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Greer Gallagher, who graduated from Auburn in 2000 and is a member of the school’s Industry Executive Board, is a senior vice president and Atlanta regional leader at Holder Construction. Gallagher is always happy to visit campus and recruit graduates from her alma mater, hiring many of them for entry-level positions in project management and field supervision. 

“We highly value Auburn graduates because they often start their internship or career with strong technical skills and a natural alignment with our company culture, enabling them to hit the ground running and feel at home in the Holder family,” she said. “The fact that we employ so many Auburn alumni highlights the depth of our relationship with Auburn and reinforces the significance of the partnership.”  

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Holder currently employs nearly 60 Auburn building science alumni, including 16 in key leadership roles, and sponsors construction management competition teams and an endowed scholarship at Auburn. The relationship goes both ways, with two former Holder employees, Jeff Kim and Drew Yantis, now serving as Auburn faculty dedicated to teaching and research.

“Auburn and Holder have a longstanding partnership, founded many years ago,” Gallagher said. “Graduates of Auburn are not only well-equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to jump head-first into a career at Holder, but they also embody the core values of Holder culture, a key factor in why we continue to support Auburn’s building science graduates, who are the future leaders in the industry.”

Ready, set, graduate

By the time they graduate, building science students have done at least one internship, and some have completed as many as three or four. Those internships help them to build relationships with industry contacts who know they Auburn graduate they are hiring can be up and running on the job on day one. While some of the nearly 600 students who attended this past career fair came specifically to learn about internships and full-time employment, others came to make contacts and consider what their futures might look like.

“I was definitely thinking about where I want to be after graduation,” said first-year building science student Lawrence Flournoy. “Honestly, I thought more about that than an internship. I looked at companies that could provide co-op opportunities in a place where I can see myself ending up.”

Since Flournoy feels he’ll have a good chance at landing a full-time job after graduation, he spent most of his time at the career fair simply networking.

“Most of my conversations at the career fair were great,” he said. “I got to know the companies’ representatives, the details of their jobs and how they ended up where they were. Plus, I got to tell them about me and what I’m looking for in a company and job.

“The fact that job placement is so high for building science majors is a fact that gives me a lot of comfort. This makes me want to be a part of this program even more.” 

McWhorter School of Building Science head Richard Burt said the building science faculty members take a lot of pride in the education they offer, their post-graduation placement rate and their successful alumni. 

“We’re so proud of our graduates,” Burt said. “These students have worked so hard for four years, and now it’s all paying off. We’re sending them out into the world with an exciting job offer and a healthy starting salary, and we couldn’t be prouder of the role Auburn has played in setting them up for success.”