Paul Gomez, a graduate of Purdue’s online Executive Construction Management Graduate Certificate used his experience as a combat veteran to create the idea for a unique construction business called Warriors Building.
Paul, who has combat-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), started Purdue’s program because he was interested in a career change. While taking a course in risk management, he met his team member Jarrett Burch – a career professional who had years of experience in managing construction projects – and began developing the idea for a project that could help other veterans with PTSD.
Together, Jarrett and Paul laid the building blocks for Warriors Building. The business started as an in-class project. As Paul took more classes in Purdue’s Construction Management program, he was able to flesh out the concept. Now, Warriors Building is a registered company, and Paul has a team of construction professionals like Jarrett working with him to achieve success.
Warriors Building seeks to help veterans who are experiencing PTSD and other mental health issues by exposing them to team-based, hands-on construction projects and valuable vocational training.
The U.S Department of Veterans Affairs Estimates that between 11-20% of combat veterans experience PTSD. Vets are also more likely than civilians to experience homelessness. Adjusting to life after combat is a challenge that Paul understands well. Warriors Building is attempting to make that transition easier by providing veterans with tangible, marketable skills and the support of a team that can help them accomplish their career goals.
Paul sees the construction projects Warriors Building conducts as having two key deliverables: a tradesperson with a valuable skill set and a high-quality finished project that can sustain the business financially. The for-profit side of Warriors Building supports the business’ ultimate goal, which is to provide vocational training paired with mental health treatment as part of a long-term recovery program for veterans.
According to Paul, the vocational therapy that Warriors Building emphasizes consists of three components:
* Provide vocational training as a means of restoring dignity and self-respect and ensure employability of program graduates.
* Provide access to mental health treatment in small group and individual environments to assist veterans with necessary life skills
* Provide a pathway to employment either with Warriors Building’s for-profit side or with another builder and in so doing, restore dignity, sense of purpose, and mission focus.
Paul credits Purdue’s program with helping him get his business idea off the ground and introducing him to a high-quality team that could put his career goals into action. Warriors Building now has the potential to help hundreds of veterans break into the construction industry and engage in meaningful, hands-on work.
At Purdue, Teams Put Construction Management Principles into Action
The advanced skills that CMs need to master to effectively oversee construction projects makes hands-on, higher-level educational training a necessity. At Purdue, a school known for its innovative approach to education, construction management graduate students like Paul, whether online or on campus, work closely with faculty mentors to develop detailed projects that are directly applicable to the field.
Emily Bonham, another graduate of Purdue’s Construction Management program, sought out advanced training so that she could better manage her family’s general contractor company, H.E Whitlock – a Colorado-based construction business that was founded 1892. H.E Whitlock already had a long history of excellence, but Emily wanted to learn more about how to bring the business into the modern world.
At Purdue, Emily’s courses focused on producing deliverables directly applicable to real-world business scenarios. The project-based curriculum was the perfect setup for Emily to devote time and expertise to building an action plan for her company that could be implemented in real time.
Emily worked with two teammates (who together called their group “BCVG Global”) to develop a number of deliverables that she could use in her work. Together, her team created a readiness assessment, a mission vision and values statement, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, a list of key strategic issues, an action plan for addressing the issues, and an evaluation plan for measuring success. These were projects that Emily knew her family business could benefit from, but finding the time to devote to project development had always been a challenge. Purdue’s program gave her the time she needed to evaluate her company, the tools she needed to complete deeper and more constructive analyses, and the benefit of fresh perspectives from a diverse team.
Before starting Purdue’s program, Emily often felt too close to her family’s business to take a step back and see it from a different vantage point. Emily’s courses at Purdue were made up of people from all over the world who came from dozens of different industries and had various levels of experience. While working on projects, Emily benefitted from the diverse perspectives of her teammates: Kristen, an architect, and Frankie, an interior designer.
“The relationships I’ve built and exposure to varying perspectives have been instrumental in my career development,” Emily said. “Shared experiences gained through collaborating with fellow students from New York to Abu Dhabi have been invaluable for my business, based in Colorado, and a rare opportunity to earn insights into market leaders with best-in-class practices.”
After completing the program, Emily’s company began implementing the strategic plan she developed. As a result, the company was able to fill two new positions identified as essential to future growth. Emily also applied for the federal Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business Certification (EDWOSB) for her firm through the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce to leverage opportunities through increased economic resources and accessibility to federal contracts.
Practical Knowledge, Immediate Application
Like many other industries, the construction industry slowed down during the pandemic. But as regular routines begin returning in fits and starts, construction-related business has started to return to pre-pandemic levels and, in some cases, is hitting new highs. Experts predict that construction companies may be busier than ever starting in 2021, especially as new technologies create the potential for faster turnaround on housing projects and as the price of houses continues to rise.
As the construction industry grows, the demand for construction management will also increase. Successful construction management requires advanced knowledge of business, risk management, cost effectiveness, and the overall organization of large and complex projects, skills Purdue’s program teaches .
Paul and Emily joined the Purdue community because they wanted a high-quality education that would impart valuable skills with clear real-world impact. Through Purdue’s MS in Construction Management, they worked in collaborative teams that helped them solve industry problems and chart a path to success. Upon graduation, they left with more than a master’s degree – they also gained connections and experiences that empowered them to advance their career goals.
Purdue’s MS in Construction Management Program is 100% online and designed specifically for working professionals who want to move forward in their careers. Students are taught by industry experts and trained in key management principles and innovative technologies. The coursework can be finished in as little as 24 months, and all classes are project-based and collaborative, designed to give students hands-on experience and easily transferable management skills.
Students who want to learn more about construction management but can’t commit to a master’s degree may also opt to complete a Graduate Certificate in Construction Management, which provides a strong background in CM principles and practices over the course of just four classes.
Learn more about Purdue’s Construction Management program and how to apply on the program’s webpage.
