The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) encourages students to participate in the Tilt-Up Convention and Expo each year to better understand the building system, learn about the industry, and network with the professionals who know it best. Humberto Cantú, a civil engineering student at Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM), and Jorge Galindo, a recent graduate from ITESM Campus Monterrey, attended the 2017 International Tilt-Up Convention and Expo in Miami and shared their experience through an interview with the TCA.

TCA: As a student attendee, what surprised you the most about your experience?

Humberto: The beauty of this convention is that even as a student or beginner you get to truly connect and speak with professionals in different areas and expertise. No one hesitates to help you – as a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite: they are happy to help and promote the growth of the industry 100 percent. I think the openness and willingness to help from almost everyone I spoke with was what surprised me the most. It is definitely a close-knit industry, and I look forward to further connecting with the experts.

TCA: Did you participate in any off-site events? If so, what did you take away from that?

Humberto: Absolutely, the Buildings Tour was a great experience and included more than five different tilt-up projects. It was fulfilling to see how the finish of a project is only limited by the creativity of the architect. These projects featured panels with irregular openings, curved panels, and other complex configurations. Project managers, architects and engineers that worked on each project were there to explain the construction processes and the difficulties they encountered on each of them. As an engineering student, it was very beneficial to hear the difficulties and how they managed to get around them.

Additionally, I attended the outdoor demonstrations. This was an interesting time to hear from suppliers and learn about their products and applications. This year featured specialty finishes and forms. A form was there to be physically seen, which was convenient and promoted the understanding of panel design and its components for students and beginners.

TCA: Did you find the education to be beneficial?

Jorge: The education was very beneficial and I was happy to see that the panel discussions and seminars covered a wide range of subjects for beginners and experts. Advanced topics including slab design, BIM modeling and safety management were presented, and on the other hand, Tilt-Up 101 offered an easy interpretation and understanding of the basics, and prepared attendees for the ACI/TCA Tilt-Up Supervisor Exam.

TCA: Would you recommend other students or those new to the industry to attend this event?

Humberto: As a student, I’m more than grateful to have had the chance to participate in this event. I would recommend other students and people new to the industry alike to take part in this annual convention. It expands your professional network and truly gives you a new perspective on construction. In my opinion it is a special opportunity that is not being seized enough.

TCA: Did you leave convention with a new perspective on the building system?

Jorge: One hundred percent. When I first started to learn about tilt-up, the initial thought before planning the construction was: Can we use tilt-up for this project? Now, with the new innovations in the industry, the very first question is: Why not tilt-up?

The Universidad de Monterrey’s Civil Engineering program (ICI) works to train professionals capable of planning, designing, modeling, administrating and constructing a wide variety of projects that will help the progress of industrial areas, residential areas and Mexican infrastructure. The TCA invites all students interested in tilt-up construction to participate in the International Tilt-Up Convention and Expo, and will continue to partner with educational facilities across the world to engage students in the industry and foster professional growth and understanding.