I pursued three specific firms because they seemed to offer the challenges that I desired. Civil engineering graduates today are entering a field that has seen a decline of nearly 20 percent since 1986 in the number of engineering college graduates. This coincides with the beginning of the current construction boom. Over the years, Master Builders, Inc., a leading producer of construction chemicals and the exclusive sponsor of the competition, has recruited a number of participants for jobs with the company. McCahill also adds that teamwork is an important attribute that is acquired through participation in the competition.
Teamwork is an essential part of a civil engineer's work.
Those in industries that traditionally rely on civil engineers' talents and expertise have long been aware of their attributes, non-engineering consulting firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and Booz Allen Hamilton are now wooing civil engineering graduates, further eroding the small pool of talent. In a profession that is as old as the Egyptian pyramids they once designed, it is perhaps safe to say that as long as civilization stands, a civil engineer's work is never done. Founded in 1852, ASCE represents more than 123,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2002. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Master Builders, Inc. operates as part of the Degussa Construction Chemicals Americas business unit, an international network of companies that comprise the largest manufacturer of construction chemicals worldwide.