GUCA MEMBER ANDREW'S EXCAVATION, INC.
HIRES STUDENT CHAPTER PRESIDENT

In October 2002, the Georgia Utility Contractors Association, Inc. chartered its first student chapter. Partnering with Southern Polytechnic State University, GUCA committed to creating a group for students that, through meetings, guest speakers, and field trips, would help inform them about the different aspects of utility construction and the multitude of opportunities available to them within the industry. There are 12 founding members of the GUCA Student Chapter, and the GUCA is excited about the increasing amount of enthusiasm and interest from both members and students in expanding the awareness of the utility construction industry to a younger generation.

Another major goal behind creating the student chapter was to give GUCA members a chance to interact with the students. By allowing members to spend time with the students in lecture and on site situations, GUCA hoped to provide members insight into future employment opportunities. Ronnie Bennett, Andrews Excavation, Inc., has already taken advantage of the GUCA Student Chapter by hiring Student Chapter President Brandon Higginbotham.

SS: How did you first meet Brandon?

RB: I attended the GUCA Student Chapter Chartering ceremony in October, and spoke during the program as an alumnus of Southern Polytechnic and a GUCA member. I invited the students to talk to me one-on-one, and Brandon introduced himself to me after the ceremony was over.

SS:  What was your first impression of Brandon?

RB:  I thought Brandon was a very well spoken young man who was intelligent but still eager to learn.

SS:   Is this why you decided to hire Brandon?

RB:  When we interview applicants, especially students, we like to look for people who have a good foundation but also realize limitations in their training. We like to hire students because they have already received training, but we also look for someone who is still willing to learn about how things work within the company and how we handle jobs. This is why I decided to hire Brandon – he was obviously a smart guy, but he was also excited about learning new parts and aspects of the job.

SS:  What will be Brandon’s job responsibilities?

RB:  We had a job opening for an estimator. We were looking for a student because we wanted someone to help with the workload that we have now and can learn enough to become a full-time employee. Brandon is currently learning how to estimate plans for jobs. Eventually, he will responsible for taking job plans and estimating their cost in order to be able to make an appropriate bid.

SS:  How do you work around Brandon’s school schedule?

RB:  Brandon works on Saturdays and a couple of afternoons during the week. He usually works about 10-12 hours a week. We don’t push for students to work too many hours during the week because their focus should be on their training at school, and we want it to stay that way. Even though we feel that on-site experience is necessary, we also don’t want to encourage student workers to give more attention to the job rather than their classroom studies. Finishing school should be their first priority, so we try to limit the number of hours a student works in order to keep it that way.

SS: Would you recommend the Student Chapter to other GUCA members as a way to find employment?

RB:  Definitely, especially since the Student Chapter was formed at Southern Polytechnic. I know I’m biased since I graduated from the program there, but I also feel like going to school at Southern Poly gave me the best preparation I could have received for the utility construction industry. I think the students in this chapter are receiving the best combination of in class and on site training and are great candidates for employment opportunities among GUCA members.