The pandemic pause is over; it’s now an employee’s job market. That’s what seven executives reported during the virtual event, Careers of the Future, hosted by the Columbia University Construction Administration M.S. program on June 23rd. With construction projects resuming due to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and reliable safety guidelines, there are a plethora of new career options, especially in aviation and life sciences, they said.
The rise of domestic travel, in particular, noted CCR Airports Vice President Greg Huang, has led to the resumption of capital programs and demand for flexible designs. “Even if there’s a shift in aircraft type, where airlines travel, how they’re handling passengers, there are projects that are either online, or about to come online and with that brings a lot of career opportunities,” said Mark Leininger, Northeast Market Leader of AV Air Pro.
The panelists advised that job seekers should be prepared to clearly demonstrate their project management experience, leadership skills, knowledge of industry trends, and intellectual curiosity as well as their ability to collaborate and present clearly and professionally.
In addition, there are new career opportunities in civil and mechanical engineering, data science, and technology and innovation. Pandemic-related restraints continue to radically transform the role of technology in the industry, giving rise to a number of emerging markets. “At AECOM, we are seeing a digital transformation in many emerging markets. From Artificial Intelligence (AI), to robotics, engineering, and data science, there are exciting careers in the pipeline,” said Denise Berger, the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer for AECOM’s Americas East Region.
Construction Administration Director John Parkinson opened the event and Lecturer La-Verna Fountain moderated. The panel included Courtney Cannata, Vice President and Senior HR Director of the Gilbane Building Company; Christopher Musto, Director of Human Resources at Holt Construction; Denise Berger, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer for AECOM’s Americas East Region; Michael Burnett, Senior Vice President at Holder Construction; Martin Durney, Principal and Regional Manager of Burns & McDonnell Aviation & Federal Group; Gregory Huang, Vice President of CCR-USA; and Mark Leininger, Northeast Market Leader at AV Air Pros.
Download and read the briefing paper based on the discussion here or watch the entire event.
