As the December 2015 graduates move into their careers, we are profiling a few and finding out their future plans and how they arrived at this point in their lives.
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Will Busse, Decatur, Indiana
- Engineering (Signal) management trainee for BNSF Railway in Lenexa, Kansas in September 2016
- Military training to complete Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course prior to starting at BNSF.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in building construction management with a concentration in electrical and mechanical construction
- Minors in military science and organizational leadership and supervision
Job duties
- Help plan and direct the construction and repair of railroad trackage, electronic signaling devices, telecommunications equipment and other related structures
- Help plan and schedule improvement and maintenance programs
- Identify and test new technology to improve maintenance procedures and extend asset life.
Purdue classes that helped Will prepare for his job
All of the plan reading classes I have taken were very helpful along with the estimating classes that taught me how to be proficient in Microsoft Excel. The Construction Documents course that Professor Joe Orczyk taught also helped me excel during my internship with BNSF this past summer. Construction Safety, taught by Professor James Jenkins, was also extremely helpful.
Other ways the college and/or Purdue provided preparation and assistance
My experiences at Purdue showed me that I can effectively manage my time while participating in student organizations, completing classwork, and fulfilling my military obligations. Purdue’s construction management program has given me the skills I needed to get me headed in the right direction.
Thanks go to:
- All my professors in the School of Construction Management Technology, because I truly believe they are there for our growth as a construction family.
- The staff in the school who are really the workhorses behind the program and who help individuals like me get jobs after.
- The advisors in the school, especially Loretta Lonz, who helped me juggle my military classes with my construction management classes. I can’t thank her enough.