Construction Management Students Head to Europe
Construction Management students touring the Ramstein Air Base hospital project
Nineteen students from Wentworth Institute of Technology’s School of Management recently embarked on a transformative study abroad trip, led by Professors Sharon Brown and Monica Snow. This immersive experience took them to construction sites in Oslo, Norway; Ramstein Air Base in Germany; and Prague, Czech Republic, offering a deep dive into European construction innovations.
In Oslo, Norway, the students learned from Christine Benneche-Lønne and the Skanska Norway team at the Helgerudkvartalet project. This session emphasized the complexities of groundwork and logistics, highlighting the significance of prefabrication initiatives in modern construction.
At Ramstein Air Base in Germany, John Abbott LEED AP and the Gilbane Building Company Germany team hosted the students. They provided valuable insights into building to US standards in Germany, offering a unique perspective on international construction practices.
In Prague, the students had the privilege of visiting a Skanska residential development site in Emil Kolben's district, courtesy of Vladimír Bešta and the entire Skanska Prague team. This visit provided a firsthand look at the challenges of brownfield cleanup and building over a metro line.
These experiences not only enriched the students' understanding of global construction practices but also showcased innovative approaches in the field. The trip was made possible through the dedication and support of industry professionals and fellow Wentworth Graduates like Bryan Northrop from Skanska Boston and Ryan Hutchins from Gilbane Building Company, who facilitated these invaluable learning opportunities.
The following are a few quotes from the students that were engaged with this opportunity:
"I think our trip through Europe was a great learning experience which showed us the building methods, materials, and overall attitudes towards construction that are used in Europe. It was an important experience because in Europe and across the globe, construction is approached differently from how we do it in America." -- Robert LaCivita
"Our trip to three different job sites in Norway, Prague, and Germany was a wonderful learning experience. This trip allowed us to ask questions about the building process, issues with subcontractors, and different building codes from around Europe. It was fun being able to compare what we saw to how jobs are operated back home. The Hospital in Germany was an American team that had to adapt and learn to German subcontractors, language barriers, and working with building codes from two different countries. I thank Wentworth and the respected project teams for organizing this trip." -- Eleni Christopoulos
"During our week trip, we had the pleasure of visiting job sites in Oslo, Frankfurt, and Prague. It was extremely interesting to see how construction codes and materials vary from country to country and how they differ from the United States. The project in Germany was a million-square-foot hospital being built on the US Air Force base in which Gilbane was a minority partner. I especially liked visiting this project because we were able to understand the challenges of building a hospital to US standards while in a different country." -- Olivia Proctor
The Wentworth School of Management extends its gratitude to all the teams involved for their generosity and hospitality. These experiences are sure to shape the future careers of our students in the construction industry.