Second-Year Students Reinforced their Knowledge at the Construction Site

A construction site instead of an audience, objects under construction instead of models, the Setl Group construction project manager as a lecturer. Second-year students of the SPbGASU faculty of civil engineering got acquainted with the main stages of the construction of residential facilities and learned why it is important for managers to start their careers directly on construction sites.

✔ The place of the tour is the residential complex "Green Quarter" of the Setl Group company. Here, the students were able to visit both the territory of the already inhabited houses, and the site of the ongoing construction.

"In the process of professional self-determination, it is important to learn the essence of the profession, to understand it not from books and beautiful booklets, videos, but in real conditions. Talking to professionals working at a construction site often gives much more knowledge than reading monographs by scientists describing the importance and significance of the profession. These events allow you to immerse yourself in the real conditions of the construction site and understand if you feel comfortable there and whether you want to work here. Having understood this, helps avoiding mistakes in the further choice of specialization,” Nadezhda Rozantseva, senior lecturer at the department of construction management, is convinced.

Representatives of the company reminded that construction is classified as a hazardous activity, therefore, increased attention was paid to explaining the requirements for labour protection. And only after that the students went to the construction site. Aleksey Elizarov, the project manager, not only introduced them to the progress of work, but also suggested that they think about resolving non-standard situations that may occur at the construction site. The issues of quality of building materials, compliance with legislative norms, seasonal features of construction work, and marketing in construction were discussed. The participants of the excursion were convinced how important it is to have practical skills. “For example, no matter how confident a designer is with the latest digital programs, his impeccable digital project can stumble over unaccounted obstacles that will be found on the construction site. If the designer studies the area directly at the construction site, such situations can be avoided,” Aleksey Elizarov is sure.

Student Foma Kochankin believes that the tour was interesting and informative: “We gained invaluable experience, because we had the opportunity to get acquainted with the types of construction work at different levels. Many disciplines are taught at the university, but the real professional life is here, at the construction site. Knowing the nuances will help me in the future choice of the department, but today I am convinced of the correct choice of profession.”

Student Maria Isyutina added that by choosing a department, students choose their future, so the importance of such an event increases significantly. “Today I understood the essence of the work of a specialist who implements a project: he organizes almost the entire process, he has a million responsibilities, communication channels, and I like this. I am a pro-active person and I am glad that my future profession involves not only making up drawings in a design office, but also interacting with people. Today I found something to be surprised: for example, the fact that it is essential to learn how to work in a team and the whole process depends on the coherence of all specialists. Everything I see will allow me to make the right choice of the department,” she said.

Setl Group personnel training and development manager Daria Fioletova emphasized: “We want to help students make the right choice of a department, taking into account knowledge of the specifics of the construction process. In the future, they will be able to come to us for practical training, internships, employment and leadership positions. We have many such examples."

“For career growth, the knowledge gained at the university needs to be superimposed on experience,” Aleksey Elizarov added. And the director of the Setl Group personnel and organizational development department Maria Ermakova noted:

Currently, personnel is a serious resource of the organization. We are interested in specialists. In addition, the industry is developing dynamically, changing in such a way that even experienced specialists have to constantly learn. Therefore, we are ready to train specialists from the student bench. However, personal motivation is the most effective method in development. And if the guys have it, we are ready to support them, to show in practice that a professional is always in demand.

Text: Lyubov Uglanova
Photo: Diana Devyatykh

✔ Learn more about the university's faculty of civil engineering