On a Habitat for Humanity construction site in Mount Pleasant, Cadet Barrett Thompson, ’26, learned that construction involves far more than swinging a hammer.
Each week, Thompson and his classmates spent time at a local Habitat site as part of CONE 470, a construction practicum course designed to give construction engineering majors hands- on experience. Working alongside classmates, Thompson helped frame walls, install roofing and build homes from the ground up.
“It gives you a feel for what it’s actually like to be out there,” Thompson said. “You’re not just learning it, you’re doing it.”
But the course is about more than construction techniques. Students rotate through leadership taking responsibility for planning projects, assigning tasks and managing work on the site.
“One group might be measuring, another cutting and another installing,” Thompson said.
“It’s about figuring out the best way to get the job done.”
The experience gives students a chance to apply concepts learned in the classroom while developing the skills they will need as future project managers. By working through real construction challenges, they gain a better understanding of how planning, communication and teamwork affect the success of a project.
For Thompson, a hands-on learner who grew up working with tools, construction engineering was a natural fit. The practicum reinforced that decision by showing him what a career in the industry looks like beyond the classroom.
Before graduation, Thompson received four job offers and accepted a position as a project manager.
“Sometimes you’ve got to make sacrifices to get where you want to be,” he said. “But the experience you get here makes it worthwhile.”