Centex Hosts Conference for College Faculty Members

A three-day conference hosted by Centex Homes at the Gaylord Resort in Dallas last summer provided 43 college faculty members from around the nation with insights into the value of on-the-job experience to augment their students' academic training in construction.

Workshops were conducted on management development, information technology in construction, product development, sales, construction technology, marketing, land development, career paths, safety, estimating and purchasing, process improvement and customer satisfaction.

Centex also provided a visit to a Fox & Jacobs home building site in Frisco, Texas, where faculty members were able to interact with the high production builder’s construction managers and field superintendents, as well as sales and marketing staff.

“This conference was one of the best I’ve ever attended,” said Dr. Leon Copeland, chairman of the Department of Technology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.  “The entire process — from land development, to marketing, to construction and customer satisfaction — revealed the different skill sets our graduates need following college. Moreover, this conference will definitely have an impact on curriculum, particularly in the field of high production housing.”

“The professionalism of the industry has gone largely unnoticed,” Copeland added.  “Considering that construction has been one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy in the last decade, we need to do a better job of making the public aware of the opportunities available in residential construction.”

Steve Nellis, vice president for recruitment at Centex and a member of the Home Builders Institute Board of Trustees, said that the conference was invaluable in helping to deliver the message to colleges that home building offers profitable career opportunities involving many skill sets.

“This event was a huge boost to our industry’s image in the collegiate world,” said Nellis.

Based on the strong feedback received from the academics who participated in the Centex conference, Nellis said that serious consideration will be given to sponsoring another event in the future.

For more information, e-mail Maria McIntyre at the Home Builders Institute, the workforce development arm of NAHB, or call her at 800-795-7955 x8912.

This article first appeared in the July 11, 2005 edition of Nation's Building News Online.