Tuesday, February 25, 2025
By: Kyle Niblett
With more than 100 distinguished companies made up of mostly alumni returning to campus, the University of Florida M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management held its annual Spring Career Fair earlier this month at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The event featured 300-plus registered students from Rinker, the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning and elsewhere.
“I have been coming to this event for 15 years and the students in the program continue to evolve and get better and sharper,” said Aaron Leech (BSBC ’09), executive vice president of Hawkins Construction and Rinker graduate. “That is why we come here; because it is the best of the best for recruiting students.”
The event served as a pivotal platform for facilitating the professional development of current students, equipping them with the skills and opportunities necessary to shape the evolving landscape of the construction industry. Representatives from companies spanning 16 states and Canada convened in Gainesville to participate in an intensive, multi-hour recruitment process designed to foster meaningful industry engagement. The afternoon culminated in a series of highly selective, individualized interviews, further enhancing career prospects for aspiring professionals.
Senior Emma Beadle, who is scheduled to graduate this year, was excited to talk to the companies she’s developed relationships with the previous years.
“It is always good to connect because even though it’s a big world, it really is a small world where everyone knows everyone,” said Beadle. “The career fair is a great way to meet everyone.”
Fellow student Daisy Tahiraj agreed.
“I love seeing companies I worked for in the past and catching up with others to see what new projects they’re working on,” said Tahiraj. “At the end of the day, jobs are never permanent, so it is important to make connections with as many people and companies as possible.”
