Vermont State University Construction Management Students in the classroom and in the field. Kyel Tuckerman is the student in the burgundy shirt. (Photo credits to Karen Pike)
Vermont of Skilled Workers, Achieves Recognition with New Accreditation
Vermont Business Magazine Kyel Tuckerman never aspired to go to college. “I had this perception college would be a waste of time and money and I’m not really a ‘sitter’,” he said. “I was at the Hartford tech center taking hands-on classes when I met a student from Vermont State University (VTSU). He visited me and my buddy to tell us about the Construction Management program, brought us to the Randolph campus to check out the classes, and showed me how the program is geared toward interesting and real-life things. I saw it was something related to what I might like to do in my life.”
Kyel is now 19 and in his second year in the program. He has two-and-a-half years left and is looking forward to his next summer internship. He’s already interned with Casella Construction, where he was able to work on a pipeline construction project in Rutland that connects to a dam for hydroelectricity.
“I was doing labor with the workers, then I started learning how to survey and use that equipment. This is the program for management, so you have to learn how to do both the physical work and all of the estimating, contracting, and pre-construction work. It’s really interesting! And, both the project engineer and the superintendent of the Rutland project were alumni of our institution. It automatically gave me that connection and they trusted me to do the work. I want to put myself in a position in the future where I can climb the ladder. This program does that.”
As he wasn’t initially sure about four years of college, Kyel started in the Associate’s degree program. Once he got a few classes under his belt, he transitioned seamlessly to the Bachelor’s program. “As soon as I saw how close knit the program is and how helpful the professors are, I knew I could do the four years. The juniors have job offers already,” he noted.
Suzanne Pickett, the program coordinator of VTSU’s Construction Management program, also noted the program’s excellent placement rate. “We graduate 10-15 students in this program each year and we have a 100% placement rate,” she stated. “The average starting salary for our four-year graduates is close to $90,000. It’s tough to beat that. It really is a top-notch program and our graduates go on to a variety of jobs in the field - field engineers where they work on construction sites to layout building elements, oversee subcontractors, and solve problems as they arise; estimators where they are estimating material quantities and job costs; or project managers where they manage resources to ensure construction projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality - there are countless doors opened for rewarding work when you have this degree.”
The Construction Management Bachelor’s degree program was recently awarded accreditation by the Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission of ABET. This accomplishment demonstrates a commitment to excellence in industry-recognized education. Additionally, the degree program received accreditation through September 2030 that retroactively applies from October 1, 2021 and all degrees awarded after that date.
“We’re really proud to achieve the new accreditation,” Pickett shares. “When our employer partners look at our graduates as candidates for the critical management positions in their companies, this industry recognition is icing on the cake.”
“We look forward to meeting each class of students in VTSU’s program,” shares Brian Rossier, Site Superintendent for Northern Vermont at Casella Construction. “We know we’ll get graduates with a great work ethic and the solid set of technical and management skills we need to run a successful construction business. The new accreditation is great news for the university, its graduates, and for us, and it shows the high quality of VTSU’s program.”
Sarah Mearhoff, Director of Advocacy and Communications for the Associated General Contractors of Vermont added, “We celebrate any opportunity to bolster Vermont’s workforce pipeline and the construction sector, at large. Vermont State University’s new accreditation for the Construction Management degree program is particularly exciting, as it will set Vermonters on the path to long, rewarding careers in the trades, with room for personal and professional growth. At a time when Vermont is desperate for skilled workers, we’re thrilled to see Vermont State University take this step to educate a construction workforce that will build a better Vermont for years to come.”
For students like Kyel, the new accreditation is validation that their investment in themselves and their degree is going to pay off. “You know a Vermont employer isn’t just going to ask for something for no good reason,” he says. “Being able to put the ABET accreditation on my resume and showing that I went to a certified program means I’m that much more employable and have that much more of a leg up when I go to look for a job after graduation.”
To learn more about Vermont State University’s Construction Management program, visit https://vermontstate.edu/academic-programs/construction-management-bs/.
VERMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
Vermont State University provides a high-quality, flexible, and affordable education for students seeking associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, certificates, and in-demand professional credentials. The university builds upon a history of public higher education in Vermont dating back to 1787. More information about Vermont State University can be found here: https://vermontstate.edu/
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