The Roofing Alliance Construction Management Student
Competition has wrapped up for the tenth year and was once again a huge success
during the 2024 International Roofing Expo® (IRE) in Las Vegas, Nevada. This
year’s teams were tasked with submitting qualified bid packages for the Formula
1™ Paddock Building in Las Vegas, Nevada. Five finalist teams gave oral
presentations on-site during the IRE, including Auburn University.
Team captain
Mary Madalyn Massengale and her team appeared on the RoofersCoffeeShop® LIVE sound stage
for a team interview
after their oral presentation. Mary Madalyn shared her team’s excitement for
the competition and how it felt to walk through the exhibit floor of the IRE.
After a
culmination of work since October, Mary Madalyn said “We were a little nervous at first, but
I think it went really smooth and we’re pretty confident in [our oral
presentation].” Their hard work paid off and they took third place in this
year’s competition.
The team shared their excitement after
researching and preparing their presentation about the roof of the Formula 1™ Paddock
Building and the intriguing opportunity of commercial roofing as a career
choice. Team member Jack Armstrong shared, “I had no previous experience with
roofing, but being able to do this competition has taught me a lot about it and
made it something I’m really interested in doing in the future.”
This hallmark event not only exposes
students to roofing as a career choice, but it provides a valuable opportunity
to network and connect with fellow students and industry experts during the IRE.
When asked what they were looking for in prospective employers, the team agreed
that growth and training are invaluable company aspects. Arjun Varadhan sums it
up for the team, sharing, “I’m looking for an employer that’s always looking
out for my best interest... Someone who’s going to teach me, because I’m looking
to grow at all times, and I want to take that growth and help contribute to
their company.”
Each year,
the Roofing Alliance selects a new project for the competition. Teams research
the chosen project and are assigned a roofing contractor mentor to provide
guidance as they craft a written proposal. Qualified bid package proposals are
submitted to a panel of industry judges to illustrate the team’s roofing and
safety knowledge. The top teams are then invited to attend the International
Roofing Expo® to present their proposals to the judges. The finalists this year
attended the Roofing Alliance’s Welcome Reception and the NRCA Industry Awards
Ceremony and Cocktail Reception.
Registration
for the 2024-25 Construction Management Student Competition will be available
this summer. Watch the YouTube videos from Auburn University and
the other 2024 competing teams here.
