Seventeen studentsfrom the GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science, at Kansas State University, have received Tilt-Up Concrete Technician Certification following completion of coursework and successfully passing an exam administered by the American Concrete Institute (ACI).

The following students (all earning their construction science and management degrees) have completed the certification process, which involves passing the certification exam: Lindsey Anderson from Atchison; Christopher Betzen from Colwich; Sammy Cervantes, Jr., from Greensburg; Joel Donn from Bonner Springs; Jeffery Houser of Mulvane; Collette Lemanske of Littleton, CO; Brady Mulroy of Holton; Jake Patterson of Overland Park; Charles Ragan of Louisburg; Tucker Sherretts of Valley Falls; Will Stewart of Andover; Alexis Susunaga of Kansas City; Luke Swicegood of Alma; and Ian Werick of Manhattan. These students, working toward their architectural engineering degrees, have also completed the certification process and passed the certification exam: Dawson Bailey of Raymore, MO; Chelsea Lewis of Alma; and Brett Manning of Fulton, MD.

Students earned the certification by demonstrating an understanding of safety, plan reading, scheduling, site preparation and foundations, slabs on grade, layout, forming, concrete properties and placement, and erection and structural systems for producing tilt-up projects.

The tilt-up course (CNS 629 Tilt-Up Concrete Construction) was developed and taught by Kimberly Waggle Kramer, professor and GE Johnson construction science chair in the GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science, and was supported in part with resources from the Tilt-Up Concrete Association. Kramer, who has served as keynote speaker at the association’s annual meeting and as a judge for their national competition, is also on the ACI 551 Committee, which writes the national standards for tilt-up concrete’s design and construction.

In 17 years, more than 450 students have taken Kramer’s course and approximately 450 of them have become certified as tilt-up technicians with a 99.8% pass rate.

The course included guest speakers from Needham DBS (Jason Blankenship and Karen Hand) and collaboration from Ted Strahm and Lea Preller of Lithko. “Needham and Lithko’s support are a tremendous asset for the course. The students appreciate their insight,” said Kramer.

“Construction companies performing this type of construction are required to have a certified technician on the job,” Kramer said. “K-State has helped to triple the number of technicians in Kansas throughout the last several years, as well as helped to certify the first two female tilt-up concrete technicians in the nation. This year, 18% of the students are female, according to NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction); women working in the construction industry numbered 1.5% of the entire US workforce in 2018.”