Starting this fall semester, South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., is offering a four-year business management program in concrete industry management (CIM) that provides a strong foundation for a career in the concrete and construction industries.
The technical classes and internship opportunities ensure students have a strong background in the important aspects of the concrete industry while the built-in management minor provides solid grounding in basic business management.
“The addition of another division of the Concrete Industry Management program at South Dakota State University gives the program another geographical option in a region that has sorely needed representation,” said Timothy Hostetler, program director and association professor of practice at SDSU. “The industry workforce in the North Central region of the country is aging just like it is in all the other regions, so adding the program is an enormous win for the industry.
“Soon, the program will begin turning out graduates who will be the future leaders of the concrete industry in our area, and as their numbers increase and their networks grow, they will connect with graduates from the other CIM programs across the country to create working relationships like the industry has never seen. It will be a very exciting process to watch.”
South Dakota State becomes the fifth university to offer a degree in CIM, joining Middle Tennessee State, New Jersey Institute of Technology, California State-Chico and Texas State. More than 1,275 students have graduated from CIM programs nationwide, preparing them for long-term careers in the concrete industry.
The CIM class requirements at South Dakota State include 15 core courses, an internship and a lab. Among the classes are management, construction, production, delivery, law, marketing and other disciplines. The concrete-specific courses teach the fundamentals of concrete, properties and testing, sustainability, concrete construction and more.
NPCA members can get involved with the CIM programs, including offering internships, by contacting the schools directly.
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