Scholarship Recipients Set Sights on Industry Careers

NPCA recently awarded 10 undergraduate students with an NPCA Foundation Scholarship to help them reach their educational goals and begin building a future in the precast concrete industry. In this issue, NPCA features three of the student recipients. Find out more about their introduction to precast, educational goals and interests.

Emma Robbins
Mitchell, Neb.
University of Nebraska

Emma Robbins, an incoming first-year student at the University of Nebraska, will study civil engineering to coincide with her goals of working in the precast industry after college. Robbins currently works as an autoCAD technician at a plant in Nebraska. She has been there for the past year, learning about the various aspects of precast concrete. She said people don’t really think about the production process until they are working with a product like precast.

Although Robbins has no family connection to the industry, she did have a mutual connection to someone working in precast, who ultimately introduced her to the job. Working at a plant piqued her interest in the industry as she learned more about how precast concrete plays a vital role in infrastructure. Before her position, Robbins was not familiar with the processes involved in producing precast concrete but has learned through different opportunities the techniques and skills utilized in the industry. Robbins enjoys the direct experience of watching how the parts are made as they grow into a bigger product.

Some of Robbins’ educational goals include doing well in school and joining clubs related to civil engineering and precast concrete. After college, she wants to be able to have a job that is flexible and to work for people that respect her. Her ultimate goal would be to work at a plant while she continues to learn how the products get made. Robbins could see herself becoming a part of the NPCA Board and would find it compelling to be a part of NPCA.

In her free time, Robbins likes to be outside and go hiking. She played volleyball and ran track in high school but does not plan to continue sports into college. She also recently has gotten into woodworking projects.

Merrill “Kaid” Nyren
Houston, Texas
Texas State University

It wasn’t until the summer after his first year of college that Kaid Nyren became interested in the precast concrete industry. He landed an internship at a plant in Texas through a family friend, his first introduction to the industry. Nyren is now a rising junior with a major in concrete industry management and a minor in business administration. After his first internship, Nyren began working at another precast concrete-related company and plans to continue working at plants until he graduates college.

Nyren enjoys how the precast concrete industry is predictable, meaning a precaster can work every day because of the controlled environment, which Nyren believes to be a big selling point of precast. He also emphasizes that not a lot of people know the full extent of what precast concrete can accomplish, which is something that Nyren has been learning throughout his internships and jobs. He enjoys problem solving and figuring out what other people cannot.

One of Nyren’s educational goals is to get as involved as possible, whether joining educational clubs, another internship or attending conventions. He has been to The Precast Show and hopes to attend again in the future. Nyren’s goal for the summer is to educate himself more about precast concrete. With the NPCA Foundation Scholarship, he has access to free courses such as PQS I, PQS II and more.

Although Nyren has not solidified his post-graduate career goals yet, he enjoys precast and says it is a definite possibility for the future. Outside of education and precast, Nyren is the lacrosse captain for the Texas State Bobcats and enjoys playing golf and fishing in his free time.

Cole Weisenbeck
Durand, Wis.
University of Wisconsin Platteville

From farm to plant, Cole Weisenbeck became fascinated with precast concrete after his first job in the industry. He began working at a plant in Wisconsin, where he gained insight about how precast is incorporated into everyday life. Weisenbeck grew up on a farm and quickly realized that most of what was used on that farm was in fact made of precast. This caused him to take immense interest in the industry and the applications of the product.

Weisenbeck will start his college career at the University of Wisconsin Platteville in the fall with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in business management. He hopes to gain a good foundation in the precast concrete industry and how the products are developed, as one of his main goals is to use precast concrete to help people.

Although Weisenbeck is not sure of what he wants to pursue after college, he could see himself working in a plant or contributing somewhere else in the precast field. As he has gotten more familiar with the industry, he has noticed houses in his area that are made from precast concrete, and he has gotten interested with the concept that this is an affordable and accessible way to provide housing for people in need. His main goal for the future is to help people through precast concrete.

In his free time, Weisenbeck does community service, whether volunteering at blood drives, packing meals for Feed My Starving Children through his church or mentoring kids. He also enjoys camping and spending time with friends and family as well as other outdoor activities like hunting and fishing.