Construction Mags - Where are they building?

[nickwm21]

I just graduated from the great CM program at Chico State. When we were freshman and sophomores the faculty told us that the graduating seniors were getting an average of 3+ offers each before graduation. This past graduation, I would estimate that less than 10% of my class received offers. The construction industry in California is tough right now.

I have been on the search for around a year now. Its been tough for an entry level guy like me to compete with someone who has experience but has been laid off. I have made a few promising connections with contractors that would love to hire me but they just don't have the work to rationalize it.

I recently talked to my boss from my past internship. He informed me that the public works projects are still being bid by 10+ contractors at below cost just to keep their labor and equipment working. My old boss believes that it will be like this for another 18-24 months. He suggested I look for a job away from the west coast and I might have more luck.

I am a strong candidate for an entry level job or internship. I am LEED GA certified, completed a 4.5 year program in 4 years, 3.5 GPA, student athlete, proficient in multiple BIM, scheduling, and estimating programs, and I have intern experience in structures and commercial.

My question to you maggots is this... Where should I focus my search? Where are contractors still building and looking for help? I am willing to leave California and being a part of this community, I obviously would like to be somewhat near the mountains.

[OSECS]

I just graduated from the great CM program at Chico State. When we were freshman and sophomores the faculty told us that the graduating seniors were getting an average of 3+ offers each before graduation. This past graduation, I would estimate that less than 10% of my class received offers. The construction industry in California is tough right now.

I have been on the search for around a year now. Its been tough for an entry level guy like me to compete with someone who has experience but has been laid off. I have made a few promising connections with contractors that would love to hire me but they just don't have the work to rationalize it.

I recently talked to my boss from my past internship. He informed me that the public works projects are still being bid by 10+ contractors at below cost just to keep their labor and equipment working. My old boss believes that it will be like this for another 18-24 months. He suggested I look for a job away from the west coast and I might have more luck.

I am a strong candidate for an entry level job or internship. I am LEED GA certified, completed a 4.5 year program in 4 years, 3.5 GPA, student athlete, proficient in multiple BIM, scheduling, and estimating programs, and I have intern experience in structures and commercial.

My question to you maggots is this... Where should I focus my search? Where are contractors still building and looking for help? I am willing to leave California and being a part of this community, I obviously would like to be somewhat near the mountains.

Resort areas are still building (albeit at a much slower pace) Custom homes in the higher end market is still moving some. You need to be in a state that wasn't/isn't being ravaged like CA. The mid Atlantic is always fairly stable.

Tippster said his wifes Washington DC area design build work is increasing. There always seems to be money there. It's not near any big mountains, but that's an area you could investigate.

[Tree Bombs]

North Dakota or Gillette, Wyo ?

[tylerjames]

I wouldn't go to gillette wy for construction. When I was living upmin buffalo, wy pizza hut was offering a three hundred sign on bonus. Lots of jobs in natural gas

[TGR420]

I continue to hear that certain locations in Colorado are doing better. Here is an interesting article from the Steamboat Pilot:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2...ops-steamboat/

[TheRealPoop]

I continue to hear that certain locations in Colorado are doing better. Here is an interesting article from the Steamboat Pilot:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2...ops-steamboat/

It’s funny you posted this article, all that article was saying is that we have not lost as much as others, we are still fucked.

On the ground here in Steamboat...

Not looking good at all, as an unemployed guy I would not recommend coming here in hopes of finding a good job, sorry.

I've heard the got jobs down Denver way.

[Pow4Brains]

Most head hunters that have contacted me are still looking for help in TX, Dubai AE (believe it or not) or British Columbia. I agree that rich people still like to spend money, so look there if you are in the residential market. Otherwise, it seems like the Guberment is spending most of their money on retrofits or remodels if you are in to Buildings, or infrastructure upgrades such as bridge and road work seems to be out there too. Another avenue is Energy if you have a technical or buying background.

[nickwm21]

Thanks for the advice all.

Resort areas are still building (albeit at a much slower pace) Custom homes in the higher end market is still moving some. You need to be in a state that wasn't/isn't being ravaged like CA. The mid Atlantic is always fairly stable.

Tippster said his wifes Washington DC area design build work is increasing. There always seems to be money there. It's not near any big mountains, but that's an area you could investigate.

My sisters are in DC. What a great city. I would be fun living there but tough being away from skiing. I will be looking there.

Most head hunters that have contacted me are still looking for help in TX, Dubai AE (believe it or not) or British Columbia. I agree that rich people still like to spend money, so look there if you are in the residential market. Otherwise, it seems like the Guberment is spending most of their money on retrofits or remodels if you are in to Buildings, or infrastructure upgrades such as bridge and road work seems to be out there too. Another avenue is Energy if you have a technical or buying background.

British Columbia would also be a nice place to live.

I really haven't decided what avenue of the industry I want to take. Structures on the heavy civil side interests me. I am also very intrigued by commercial companies involved in design build and LEED. Working with a specialty contractor would be fun as well.

[The Stopper]

There is no good answer. As someone who graduated three years ago with a degree from a top Construction Engineering school, the jobs just aren't there. I had over ten solid job offers when I graduated and spent six months unemployed and couldn't even pull an interview. I found one applicable job in those six months that wasn't a downgrade or change in field.

It's hard to hear but my two cents would be to move somewhere you want to be. Living in CO, I didn't and don't want to leave and I'll find other work to keep me here. Take this opportunity to bum it or travel.

Look at companies that specialize in Government / Core of Engineer work. This work is BOOMING - working at a military base now and the amount of work is amazing. The only other bright area I've heard of is Texas - I don't like what I do nearly enough to live there.

Private sectors continue to stumble. The core of commercial work - office, retail, industrial and hospitality are still stumbling. Ready any report about construction turn around and you'll find a disclaimer that these sectors are still falling.

[BCtransplant]

Vancouver is still in pretty good shape. Our "downturn" only seemed to run about oct 09 to june 09, and a lot of public projects were still moving forward. The private side is rebounding and looking pretty healthy at the moment, and looks ok for the forseeable future imho.

[nickwm21]

Thanks for the advice as well guys. Vancouver and Colorado are on the top of my lists and I actually applied for multiple positions online today. But, you know how those online applications are like sending your resume into a black hole. I am going to get on the phone next week.

As far as bumming around, I am going on a trip to Argentina and I am extremely stoked to get some turns in on the southern hemisphere. After that I will be basically broke, I might just get like a togo's gig and keep searching.

[samthaman]

I have no idea if this is in yoru field or not, but I have a friend who operates equipment (dozers/ rock crushers/trucks etc) and recently moved to alaska as it was the only place they're hiring. If they're hiring guys like him, i'd imagine they need someone with your skills as well? dunno, just a thought. I can look into it a little more if you'd like

for the record he was headed to Juno

[carpathian]

^^^ I was gonna say AK. Anchorage seems to be perpetually booming.

[MTT]

My Out of Work Neibor Union Electrician, been out of work for 3 months. He is heading to alaska for a temp gig.

[hartzejr]

Stay out of AK. No work here... heh.




Seriously though, lots of federal work here. They're always looking for Slope workers too. But the season has started and jobs may be a little more difficult to come by now than if you applied in late winter. Don't let that discourage you though, lots of opportunity still.

[Art Shirk]

My buddy's company is always busy. Not sure if you are the right fit, or if my buddy is looking, but PM anyway if Seattle area sounds good to you. Its worth a shot. And the guy owes me a ton of favors.

[COUSINELVIS]

WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY IN 93 I GOT INTO CONSTRUCTION, IT WAS RECESSIONINGTHEN TOO

OUR UNIONS PARKING LOT WAS FULL OF HOMELESS CARPENTERS LIVING IN THERE TRUCKS, I THINK WELL LOOK BACK AND SEE THIS TIME HAS BEEN EVEN WORST THAN BACK THEN

SPEAKING OF THE MILITARY, THERE HIRING, SRSLY. WITH YOUR EDUCATION YOUR NOT GOING TO BE SLOGGING THRU THE SAND WITH A RIFLE AND PACK ON YOUR BACK, AND YOUD GET EXPERIENCE IN PROJECTS YOU PROLLY WOULDNT HAVE A CHANCE TO DO ELSEWHERE + LEADERSHIP AND DISCIPLINE THAT COLLEGE DOESNT TEACH ANYBODY. ITS DEF'LY NOT FOR EVERYBODY, JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

[nickwm21]

Thanks for the info guys!

I currently have a temporary gig and have a few interviews this week so it is looking up for me as of now.

I am pretty interested in the Alaska thing.. I have sent some resumes up there and made some phone calls. They hire during the off-season (not now).. So I will check it out in the future.

Cousin, I have thought about the military... I was very involved in scouts as a kid as well as an active athlete my entire life. It has always been sort of a back up plan...

[montanamike]

my boss up north ak is always looking for somebody good. industrial const. pm me for info.

[DJSapp]

I recently talked to my boss from my past internship. He informed me that the public works projects are still being bid by 10+ contractors at below cost just to keep their labor and equipment working. My old boss believes that it will be like this for another 18-24 months. He suggested I look for a job away from the west coast and I might have more luck.

...

My question to you maggots is this... Where should I focus my search? Where are contractors still building and looking for help? I am willing to leave California and being a part of this community, I obviously would like to be somewhat near the mountains.

Public work in CA is still crowded. The Obama bucks are beginning to flow, but are slow in coming. A lot of work is bidding/starting up on Folsom Dam, BART has a couple big projects in the works, but until housing in CA improves, public works is the only major game going. You may be better served watching public bid openings, tracking who landed what job and chasing them.

Comparitively, Denver, SLC, Portland and Seattle are small when you compare public works $ to SF Bay/Sacramento area. If you really want to sell your soul, LA is still building out of necessity.

As far as the job market, I really feel for CM and CE grads. I was at a couple career fairs and people were practically throwing themselves at us since we were looking for interns (we're full at the moment).

[nickwm21]

Bump.

My temp internship ended last week.... Unemployed again. I would appreciate any help pointing me in the right direction.

Thank you for all who posted above. I will be sending PMs to those who offered.

[Hugh Conway]

Go west young man, go west.

China

[hartzejr]

Guam....

[Scotsman50]

I am one of the owners of a Marine Construction company based in Seattle with abranch office in Anchorage. I have been in the construction industry for 30 years since graduating from college.

I have hired scores of people like you over the years so listen carefully to what I am going to tell you.

1) Apart from small pockets the Commercial Building industry is dead in the water and will be so for a very long time. Companies are continuing to retrench and are in survival mode.

2) The Heavy construction industry is faring a bit better bouyed by Federal spending and in some cases such as AK doing OK. However, the smaller infrastructure contractors are being hammered by contractors from the Commercial Building industry( 1) above) who are buying public works jobs to try and survive. This will not last and many are going to go under in the next two years. The bigger Infrastructure companies are doing better , the small are being hammered. Size is good in this regard.
3) The Marine Constuction industry is doing much better because the cost of entry is so high. Large Crane barges and specialized equipment cant be rented and cost millions of dollars. Therefore competition is more limited.

4) Maggots with CE/CM degrees are two a penny.Building Contractors used to eat them up to do submittals and shit and weed out the ones that they could turn into useful project engineers.

5) Most of the CE/CM maggots we see come in with a suit and tie and want to sit infront of a computer all day in penny fucking loafers and act like they know something .. which they don't. Your CE/CM degree teaches you very little that is applicable to the real world of contracting.

6) The CE maggots we hire have usually come out of Montana State. Why .. because the " farm boys" as we like to call them, not only have a CE degree but are used to hard manual labor, know how to drive construction excavators and backhoes and work on a diesel engine. These are attributes we consider much higher than a suit and a scientific notation calculator. They usually turn up at their interview in bad jacket and a pair of Carharts and have a tin of chew in their back pocket.
We dont expect them to drive construction equipment or repair diesel engines but the fact that know how makes them much better at working and understanding the challenges that our crews have to deal with.

So my advise, be bold.. chase where the work is and get away from the building industry as far as you can.... the future lies with infrastructure contractors ( the USA infrastructure is falling apart)and even better the speciality contractors such as marine.

Don't stress your incredible construction management skills and degree.... they aren't of interest to us and WE know you don't know shit yet. We want to know you have practical experience , know what hard work is, understand and can relate to the skills of our workers who actually build this stuff and are prepared to work for 14 hours , in the rain, laying out piling stakes,while a 300 lb pile driver with 2 missing fingers and an evil sense of humor is calling you his "new engineer bitch".

Good luck, send me a resume via PM.

[Harry Tuttle]

Scotsman, what you say has the brutal ring of truth in it.

Large Crane barges and specialized equipment

That is what you build? Mobile equipment? Ahh, I see you mention pilings too. Do you have 3-D CAD operators in-house? I imagine they are a dime a dozen in Seattle.