From 2020 to 2022, during her sophomore to senior years as a civil engineering major at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Juliah Seymour was a successful competitor in CAWP’s Student Estimating Competition.
Her team took second place each year, providing Seymour with great insight into the highway construction industry.
Thanks to her participation in the CAWP Student Estimating Competition, Seymour was able to make connections in the industry which lead to internships, mentors, and even her current role as a Project Engineer 1 for Fay, S&B USA Construction on the Big Beaver River Project.
Ahead of this year’s seventh annual CAWP Student Estimating Competition, Seymour shares her insight and advice for this year’s competitors.
What was the most challenging aspect of the competition for you and how did you work to overcome it?
Across the board, the most challenging aspect of the competition is time management, and that was no exception for myself or my team over the years. The best way to help alleviate some of the pressure of the clock is to really use the first night with your plans. Get familiar with the job and look for items that may be bid. See if you can do some takeoffs on items that you think may be on the bid on Friday. If it is on the bid, you already have the hard part done. If it’s not, at least you got some extra practice and are more familiar with the plans.
What did the competition teach you about the highway construction industry?
The competition was my introduction to the highway construction industry. In this competition, you really get thrown right into what being in highway construction is like from the Pre-Construction meeting to the Closing Ceremony. You get to see what being at a Pre-Construction meeting is like, being a part of putting together a bid to the best of your ability, and the excitement of waiting for the bid results.
What were the most challenging and rewarding parts of working with your team?
In my first year competing I was a sophomore on an all-senior team. I had a general idea of what to do, but it was challenging to be able to keep up with what was happening and understand what was going on during bid day. It was honestly a blur of a day, but my team was so helpful in giving me advice and explaining things that I had never seen or heard of before.
My team for my junior and senior years were all from my year, so the only thing knowledge-wise that separated us was our work experience. All 5 of has had very different work/internship experiences over the years, which was really beneficial for the team. Each of us was able to point out things that one of us may have missed or not thought about.
What advice would you give students participating in this year’s competition?
Be confident in what you know, but always be open to learning more from your advisor, team members, and the judges. Everyone on your team brings something different to the table. The more you know what your strengths and weaknesses are as a team and individuals, the better you will be able to delegate tasks for success on bid day.
What is your current position and how did the competition help you get and/or prepare for this role?
I am a Project Engineer 1 for Fay, S&B USA Construction on the Big Beaver River Bridge project.
My participation in the competition for 3 years helped me to make connections throughout the industry that have provided me with internships and full-time job opportunities, but more importantly mentors that have helped to get me to where I am now.
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT JOHNSTOWN
2020: BRAINSTORM TROOPERS | 2ND PLACE
2021: MINOR LEAGUERS | 2ND PLACE
