How to Help Your Undecided Students

Publish Date: January 15, 2020

Smashing through the Stereotypes

Ask students today what they will do after graduation. Most respond they will attend a college or trade school, unless they are certain of their non-degreed career path. Many remain unsure if, where, and how they will enter the next chapter of their academic lives. Chances are they won’t say they are going into construction. Why? With median salaries for project managers in construction being $91,370, why do students overlook this 1.3 trillion dollar (13 trillion global) and growing industry?¹

The answer: Mistaken Stereotypes.

When they think construction, most people think of hard hats and dirt, brick-laying and physical labor. Many dismiss construction jobs as their grandfather’s field- and not one in line with the technological innovations of today. Many more reject the field in favor of the more “professional” jobs their parents have wished for them. Or, they altogether reject the field as a male-dominated marketplace, lacking in diversity.

All of these are inaccurate stereotypes- ripe for disruption. Here’s why:

Seven out of 10 of the fastest growing industries are construction and building-related.²
Construction Project Managers’ job rate growth is expected to be 19% between 2018-2028.¹
Today’s Project Managers are world-class innovators who lead teams of people and robots to budget, organize, problem-solve, and complete building projects of any size.

Roles in construction range from leadership and development to hands-on technology and application of cutting-edge innovation in both the traditional and modular spaces.
Upcoming specialty areas projecting high growth rates between 2018-2028 include Solar Photovoltaic Installers (63% projected growth), Wind Turbine Technicians (57% projected growth), and Construction Technologists- all who harness innovation, technology, and green philosophies.^3-4
In addition to these newer roles in the field, Plumbing and Electrician jobs are still the #3 and #4 most lucrative and necessary fields today, per the US News and World Report.⁵

Virtual reality, building-information systems, cloud-based project management software, and robotics technology have all transformed the field into a safe, tech-savvy and jobsite-friendly environment, where both men and women thrive into leadership positions.
Starting salary for the construction field in Tennessee is at $50,000.⁶
The modern construction industry holds countless numbers of positions and opportunities for leadership. Check out the industry map below:

McKinsey maps out the various technologies, skills, and opportunities harnessed by the construction industry.

The STONEPILE Difference

STONEPILE offers you the best of both worlds: higher education and a wide welcome into one of the most strategically poised industries of tomorrow.

STONEPILE reverses the stereotypes in the construction field by entering the higher education community- unashamed to claim the construction industry as our business and determined to train the next generation of construction leaders, ready to build America. Our 2- and 4-year programs offer an Associate of Applied Science in Construction and Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Management at an affordable price tag- completely online.

Graduates of STONEPILE won’t flounder to find a job or be forced to stay in school and incur more debt before they get their professional degrees. They graduate ready to enter this rewarding field to lead and profit from the vast opportunities of this industry.

For more information on connecting your students with STONEPILE, contact our Director of Admissions and Student Services, Katie Browning at:

Katie Browning
Director of Enrollment and Student Services
Stonepile LLC
615-332-1536
kbrowning.stonepile@mail.com
www.stonepile.us