Concrete Industry Management

Heather Brown, Chair

Brown, Fulks, Knight, Morton, Sparkman, Yang

The objective of the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program is to produce graduates grounded in the basics of concrete’s production techniques and its use in a multitude of construction applications. A CIM degree is designed to provide the graduate with a broad array of initial opportunities within the industry that include sales, operations, technical services, project, production, and concrete construction management. CIM students gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of the concrete industry, its production techniques, and construction applications through typical classroom-style learning, as well as hands-on experience through an array of internship opportunities.

The Concrete Industry Management major includes two concentrations: Production, Sales, and Service (PSS) and Concrete Contracting (COCO). Examples of PSS employment include technical sales, operations manager, sales and marketing professional, product distribution, quality control manager, environmental and safety officer, logistics, ITD support, trade association staffer, and technical magazine staffer. Examples of COCO employment include project management or engineering for a general contractor, specialty contractor or subcontractor, concrete specialist in an architectural/engineering firm or government entity, estimator, draftsman, surveying staff, and safety officer.

In addition to the CIM major, graduates acquire a minor in business administration, which includes the study of personnel management, systems integration, marketing, sales and promotion as they relate to concrete products and services. The CIM core curriculum includes typical college-level general study requirements, general business, and concrete-related introductory course work. Advanced level courses and internships broaden the students’ understanding of the workings of the concrete industry.

CIM is a joint initiative of a growing number of universities supported by networks of local, state, and regional concrete industry producers, suppliers, and contractors that pledge their time, talent, and resources to support the development of each university’s CIM program. Currently, there are five universities designated as schools with CIM programs. The CIM program was originally founded at Middle Tennessee State University in 1996 and later expanded to Arizona State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, California State University–Chico, and Texas State University–San Marcos.

A National Steering Committee (NSC) composed of industry-leading organizations helps to provide funding for each university and oversight and direction for the overall CIM Program. Organizations that support and participate at the NSC level include the American Concrete Pipe Association, American Society of Concrete Contractors’ Education Foundation, National Concrete Masonry Association’s Foundation, National Precast Concrete Association, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute’s Foundation, Portland Cement Association, and the RMC Research and Education Foundation.

Curricular listings include General Education Requirements in Communications, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.