Archives: News Items

Cypress College Becomes MCAA’s Newest Student Chapter

MCAA GreatFutures welcomes its 61^st Student Chapter, Cypress College! This is the first student chapter sponsored by ARCA/MCA, and the first two-year technical school to be chartered as part of the MCAA GreatFutures student chapter program.

Professor Richard Hock serves as the faculty advisor for the ARCA/MCA Student Chapter Cypress College. Richard worked with Cheryl James and Dick Sawhill of ARCA/MCA and ARCA/MCA members to start the chapter and get students active and engaged.

The Air Conditioning & Refrigeration program at Cypress College offers both certificate and degree paths into the industry. You can learn more about the program by visiting the Cypress College page on MCAAGreatFutures.org.

Congratulations to Cypress College and welcome to the MCAA family!

Celebrating the Successes of Young Women in Our Industry

In honor of International Women’s Day, MCAA GreatFutures & WiMI celebrate all of the young women actively pursuing a career in the mechanical contracting industry. Read these success stories of female MCAA Student Chapter members and how they are leaving an imprint on the industry:

Madelyn Conway, Purdue University

Madelyn Conway, a senior at Purdue University, has accepted a full-time position with BMWC Constructors, Inc. She will be working as a project engineer in their Indianapolis office following graduation this spring. Madelyn said, “because of MCAA, MCA of Indiana, and the Purdue MCA Student Chapter, I have found my career!”

Madelyn was the 2019 recipient of the Ferguson – WiMI Scholarship.

Read the full story HERE.

Kathy Deng, University of Southern California

Kathy Deng, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Southern California, a past MCAA student chapter member and a current Design Engineer at Murray Company. Kathy says at the MCAA19 convention, “Women in the Mechanical Industry enlightened me about the value of mechanical engineers in construction.”

Read the full story HERE.

Paige Theby, University of Missouri-Columbia

Paige Theby, a member of the MCAA Student Chapter at the University of Missouri-Columbia, is graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and accepting a full-time position with Murphy Company.

Read the full story HERE.

Molly Sizemore, Pennsylvania State University

Molly Sizemore has accepted her second summer internship at Southland Industries, a member of the MCA of Metropolitan Washington. She is a member of the MCA of Central Pennsylvania-sponsored student chapter at Pennsylvania State University, where she studies Architectural Engineering specializing in mechanical systems. She said, “MCAA has definitely created a springboard for me into the mechanical contracting industry, and I’m very excited to continue this journey and get others involved.”

Molly is a recipient of the 2020 Ferguson – WiMI Scholarship.

Read the full story HERE.

Alex Berman, Kent State University

Alex Berman, a 2019 Construction Management graduate from Kent State University and a past MCAA Student chapter member, has found success in the industry as an Estimator and Project Assistant at MCA of Cleveland member Geauga Mechanical in Northeast Ohio.

Read the full story HERE.

Kylie Nedelka, University of Missouri-Columbia

Kylie Nedelka, a mechanical engineering major from the University of Missouri-Columbia, has accepted a second summer internship with SIEMENS, a member of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council. Kylie found the opportunity at the 2018 GreatFutures Forum, where she met Kristin Junia, Program Manager at SIEMENS. Kylie said, “My experience was so great, that I have accepted a position as an engineering intern for this upcoming summer! I look forward to the new experiences to come!”

Read the full story HERE.

Iowa State University Student Chapter Member Accepts Internship with Mechanical, Inc.

Kevin Waller has accepted a summer internship with MCA of Chicago member Mechanical, Inc. Kevin is a junior studying Construction Engineering and a member of the Iowa State University student chapter sponsored by the MCA of Iowa.

Kevin’s first contact with Mechanical, Inc. came last summer. He worked with one of the company’s field superintendents in the Chicagoland area while working for a local general contractor.

“Before attending the 2019 MCAA Great Futures Forum in Washington D.C., I researched companies that were attending the event and noticed that Mechanical, Inc. was one of them. At the Forum, I was able to meet and talk with MCAA and Mechanical, Inc. President Brian Helm. The following week, I had the opportunity to network with Mechanical, Inc. again, this time at the Iowa State career fair. I was fortunate enough to receive an internship offer from them in the following weeks.”

During the upcoming summer, Kevin will be working as a Project Engineer Intern at the company’s office in Westmont, IL.

“I’m very excited to apply my knowledge of mechanical systems and construction engineering to various projects this summer with Mechanical, Inc. The construction engineering program here at Iowa State has done a great job preparing me for many of the challenges I know I will encounter. While attending Iowa State, I have been heavily involved in the MCAA student chapter and I currently serve as a cabinet member. As far as my involvement in MCAA goes, I was able to participate in this year’s student competition. Through the competition, all of us students gained a lot of really valuable project management experience. Next year, as a senior with internship experience in the mechanical contracting industry, I plan on leading the Iowa State competition team.”

Kevin looks forward to attending MCAA2020 with his student chapter, where he hopes to continue building connections with MCAA members.

Meet Kevin and other student chapter members like him at MCAA2020’s Networking & Recruiting 360 event Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 am – 11:00 am. MCAA thanks Viega for sponsoring the event.

To preview students’ resumes and to see who will be in Maui, visit mcaagreatfutures.org.

Looking for Your Next Intern? Attract Top Talent with the New MCAA Internship Grants!

Starting this year, $500 grants will be offered to students who accept internships or full-time positions thanks to funding from the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF). MCAA members can use these grants to help them attract much-needed talent, and new interns will appreciate the investment in their success. This small gesture may be the beginning of a great future with your company.

Take it from Andrew Nguyen, who will be interning with The Bowers Group this summer. He said, “it’s both relieving and exciting to feel welcome in a field where I am new and unfamiliar, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Recruit at MCAA2020

Start putting this new recruiting tool to work at MCAA2020. The Networking & Recruiting 360 event on Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 am – 11:00 am gives you the opportunity to connect one-on-one in a reception-style environment to discuss full-time, internship and co-op opportunities within the industry. Students from top construction management and mechanical engineering programs will come with resumes in hand, so be prepared to find your next hire.

Paige Theby, a University of Missouri-Columbia graduate who recently joined Murphy Company said, “I think it’s really neat that they [MCA] are focusing on and teaching the younger generation about the mechanical contracting industry.”

MCAAGreatFutures.org Puts Talent at Your Fingertips

Can’t make it to MCAA2020? Head to MCAAGreatFutures.org to search for talent online. MCAA’s career-related website is committed to connecting our members with the best and brightest students who will comprise the industry’s future workforce. Search profiles and resumes by University, desired location or even a specific skill set like BIM or AutoCAD. A keyword filter allows you to zero in on those students who fit the bill.

Not finding a match? Try reaching out to our 60 MCAA Student Chapters. The chapter advisors are a great resource to help find the right person. And, MCAA members have exclusive access to post job openings on our job board.

How The New Grant Application Process Works

Once you find a prospective intern, check to be sure they’re a student in good standing at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or technical school. While MCAA encourages its members to give priority to students from the MCAA Student Chapter Program, this is not a requirement to receive a grant.

Each MCAA member company can submit up to two internship grant applications per year. Once an application is reviewed and accepted, MCAA will send a $500 Visa Gift Card to the member company so it can present the Gift Card to the student at the start of their internship. It’s a great way to show your company’s commitment to that individual’s future in the industry.

MCAA will follow-up with each company and intern to ensure the process and overall internship was successful.

MCA of Eastern Missouri Student Chapter Member Accepts Second Internship with SIEMENS

“We were traveling on the same bus to Disneyland and we struck up a conversation,” said Kristin. “I was impressed with her communication and how comfortable she was in new situations and invited her to visit us at the job fair the next day. When she stopped by our booth, we spoke more in depth about her education and the type of internship she was seeking, and we offered her a position with Siemens Smart Infrastructure (then Building Technologies). Ultimately, we identified a spot for her in our Seattle branch, where she worked primarily in the field.”

Kylie reflects on her experience with SIEMENS:

My summer internship with Siemens was incredible. I gained invaluable knowledge that has already helped me in my engineering career. Going into the internship, I was nervous that I would be overwhelmed with new information, but thanks to MCAA, I was familiar with certain subjects that I dealt with in my internship. Siemens company culture made me feel immediately welcomed. Everyone was willing to take the time to teach me, and I could apply this new knowledge to actual Siemens projects. I was truly a part of the team.

The first five weeks of my internship was spent in the office with the engineering department. My main project was USPS service migration from insight to desig0. My last five weeks, I worked as a field technician at a data center. This experience was very rewarding because I got to do hands-on work that led to a better understanding of HVAC systems.

My experience was so great, that I have accepted a position as an engineering intern for this upcoming summer! I look forward to the new experiences to come!

Kristin Junia said, “Kylie has made a positive impact in our business. We are excited that she will be returning this summer, this time in our Chicago branch. In this role she will be more office-based, focusing on building automation system design and integration. She will work alongside our engineers to identify gaps in engineering and create an action plan to address needs. We want Kylie to experience different roles and responsibilities within Smart Infrastructure so that she is able to determine where she sees herself in the future.”

Hiring a Summer Intern? Apply for the NEW Internship Grant Funded by MCERF

MCAA’s student internship grant process has changed! For 2020, the focus is on the intern to give them the best opportunities possible with MCAA member companies. Five-hundred-dollar grants will now be offered directly to students who accept internships or full-time positions, with funding from the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF).

Having MCAA interns working at member companies is a win-win for the mechanical contracting industry. Employers get top talent and build a pipeline of future employees. Students gain experience, create connections, develop skills and further their interest in mechanical contracting. In paying the student instead of the employer, MCAA’s goal is to increase the overall number of interns and drive the overall number of talented employees accepting full-time positions with MCAA member companies after graduation.

Be the Next Internship Success Story

In 2019, MCA of Indiana member Freitag-Weinhardt, Inc. used an internship grant for Indiana State University student Jonathan Dang. He will join the company full-time following his December 2020 graduation.

Jonathan noted that, “one of the things that made a career in the mechanical industry so appealing is the investment in students and their futures.” The new 2020 internship grants help further show a company’s investment in young talent like Jonathan.

Read more about Jonathan’s experience as an intern with Freitag-Weinhardt here.

How does the new grant application process work?

The MCAA member company will first ensure a prospective intern is in good standing at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or technical school. While MCAA encourages its members to give priority to students from the MCAA Student Chapter Program, this is not a requirement to receive a grant.

MCAA’s Director of Career Development, Harlee Mooney, will follow-up with each company and intern to ensure the process and overall internship was successful.

Start your search for top talent today!

MCAAGreatFutures.org gives members access to student profiles and resumes. The profiles are searchable by university, desired location, and even a specific skill set, like BIM or AutoCAD. A keyword filter allows users to zero in on students who fit the bill.

Help build our industry’s GreatFuture – apply for a grant!

Kent State Graduate Reflects on Career Success, MCAA and MCA of Cleveland Involvement

“I really enjoy my role here. I get to work on bids and takeoffs, but also work on projects as they are being built. My role as a project assistant consists of equipment tracking, submittals, and quality control/punch lists. Since it is a family company, I have worked at Geauga during summers throughout high school and into college. I officially was an estimator and project assistant intern the summer before my senior year.”

At Kent State, Alex was involved in the MCAA Student Chapter – even serving as its president her senior year. She says, “It was a great opportunity to work on the projects with my peers and get additional real-world bid experience. The industry professionals are great at giving support and taking us on project site tours to see mechanical elements in real life. The student chapter really gave us great opportunities to network and intern in our area.”

Alex has stayed involved with MCAA through the MCA of Cleveland. “I started attending the Cleveland Chapter meetings as one of the representatives for my company. Through this I joined our local technology committee and attended the MCAA Technology Conference in San Diego. I am looking forward to learning more about technology in the industry and sharing that information with others in our local chapter.”

You can find student chapter members like Alex at MCAA2020. Don’t miss the Networking & Recruiting 360 event Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 am – 11:00 am. To preview students’ resumes, visit mcaagreatfutures.org.

Please contact Harlee Mooney if you have questions about any of our student activities or the new 2020 internship grants funded by the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF).

Be the Next Success Story – Apply for the NEW Internship Grant Funded by MCERF

For 2020, MCAA has updated its student internship grant process to focus on the intern and give them the best opportunities possible with MCAA member companies. Five-hundred-dollar grants will now be offered directly to students who accept internships or full-time positions, with funding from MCERF.

Here are a few success stories

MCA of Metropolitan Washington (MCAMW) member The Bowers Group, also known as W.E. Bowers, hired Andrew Nguyen, a junior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, for a summer internship. Read the story here.

In 2019, BMWC Constructors, Inc. used an internship grant for Purdue University Senior Madelyn Conway’s summer internship. She will join the company full-time following graduation. Read the success story here.

How does the new grant application process work?

MCAA’s Director of Career Development, Harlee Mooney, will follow-up with each company and intern to ensure the process and overall internship was successful.

Start your search for top talent today!

Help build our industry’s GreatFuture – apply for a grant!

Beyond the Classroom – Working for a Manufacturer/Supplier

In this month’s Beyond the Classroom, meet MILWAUKEE TOOL’s Territory Manager, Hyojon Robbins, who highlights the unique opportunities available to students who choose careers working for a manufacturer/supplier. Upcoming Beyond the Classroom videos will showcase how MCAA student chapter members and MCAA members alike are benefiting from the program. They will also share the opportunities available to students who choose careers in the mechanical industry.

MCA of Indiana Student Chapter Member Finds Full-time Position with Freitag-Weinhardt, Inc.

Jonathan Dang has accepted a full-time position with Freitag Weinhardt, Inc., in Terre Haute, Indiana. He is interning for the company while he completes his studies at Indiana State University, where he is pursuing a B.S. in Safety Management with a minor in Construction Management. He will join the company as an employee after graduation in December 2020.

Jonathan, who is the president of the MCAA Student Chapter at Indiana State University, noted that “one of the things that made a career in the mechanical industry so appealing is the investment in students and their futures.”

He went on to describe the experiences that led to his career choice. “When I started to pursue my college degree, I did not know what I wanted to be. Until I was given the opportunity to go to my first MCAA GreatFutures Forum in 2018 in Anaheim. I never understood how amazing MCAA and all its members can be. From the latest technology to the passion of all the individuals there, I was awestruck and, at that moment, I was all in.”

Jonathan met Bob Moreland and Mark Ungar from Freitag-Weinhardt, Inc. at an MCA of Indiana event during MCAA19 in San Antonio. “They offered me an internship at their office, and I took it,” he said. “During my internship, I have learned how to do estimating, subcontracts, POs, and change orders, and I understand how people operate in the field.”

Jonathan also attended the 2019 MCAA GreatFutures Forum in Washington, D.C. He said, “No matter how many MCAA events I attend, I am always blown away by the fact that MCAA is willing to invest much of their resources in college students like me. I look forward to the future that MCAA is building.”

You can find student chapter members like Jonathan at mcaagreatfutures.org.

Please contact Harlee Mooney if you have questions about any of our student activities or the internship grants funded by the the John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF).