In 2017, Kaden McGregor competed in the Student Estimating Competition during his senior year as a Civil Engineering major at Penn State University, with his team, PSU Main Team 1, taking second place.
The competition provided McGregor with real-life experience in the highway construction industry that he uses today as an Estimator/Project Manager with Advantage Steel & Construction.
Ahead of this year’s CAWP Student Estimating Competition, McGregor shares his insight and advice for competitors.
What was the most challenging aspect of the competition for you and how did you work to overcome it?
The hardest part of the competition was the short eight-hour timeframe to compile all the takeoff, answer the questions, put together a schedule, etc. It really came down to the last second to get everything compiled among the five of us. Time management was by far the hardest part.
What did the competition teach you about the highway construction industry?
It taught me about all the behind-the-scenes work that goes on to compile an estimate to bid on a project. Most people only see the construction/field side when the project is going on, so it was cool to see all the effort that goes into the job before the public even knows about it or the job starts.
What advice would you give students participating in this year’s competition?
Time management is key. If you get stuck on something, don’t be afraid to ask for help from one of your teammates. Your teammates are great resources, don’t be afraid to ask the group for advice and have them double-check your work if time allows.
What were the most challenging and rewarding parts of working with your team?
The most challenging part was only having five team members when most other teams had six. This put a greater workload on the five of us to get everything done on time.
The most rewarding part was gaining everyone’s insights and pulling all our experience together to talk through the challenges of the competition. When we brought the collective knowledge of the group to the discussion, it made the challenging tasks not as difficult.
What is your current position and how did the competition help you get and/or prepare for this role?
The Student Estimating Competition provided me with real-life experience as an estimator, which I carried over into my daily job as an Estimator/Project Manager for Advantage Steel & Construction.
In the future, my goal is to become VP of Estimating.
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
2017: PSU MAIN CAMPUS 1 | 2ND PLACE
