Juan Garcia builds success in GTCC construction management program

“I believe GTCC can help you in so many ways and not just career wise but as an individual,” said Garcia. “The job fairs are amazing, and the instructors are very helpful. You learn something new every day. GTCC is a great place to set you up for success.”

Juan Garcia has wanted to be involved in construction his entire life. From working alongside his dad in residential painting from a young age, to working as an electrician’s apprentice in the summer of his junior year of high school. That’s when he noticed a man on a construction site stepping out of a pickup truck, holding a clipboard.

 “Curious, I asked my foreman who he was, and he explained that he managed the project,” recalled Garcia. “I remember thinking ‘if I get to drive a nice truck and stay in the AC, I want that job.’”

He was already enrolled at GTCC after graduating from Southern Guilford High School in 2023 and working on an associate degree in science. However, after discussing options with his GTCC counselor and comparing degree paths, Garcia switched to the construction management program while continuing to pursue his AA.

“I’ve been around construction my entire life, and it’s always felt natural to me,” said Garcia. “I thought about getting my general contractor’s license but then I remembered that guy I saw on the job site and then it clicked. Project management combined everything I enjoyed. I told my counselor I wanted to manage construction projects, and she introduced me to Guilford Tech’s construction management program.”

Garcia began work with a construction company in 2024, a job which has provided hands-on work that paralleled his classroom experience much of the time.

“I’m now a commercial field engineer for Bobbitt Construction after a recent promotion from an electrical helper,” said Garcia. “In my new role, I support the superintendents and the project team by reviewing plans, performing safety inspections, building relationships with subcontractors, and keeping accurate daily project documentation. Bobbit specializes in commercial and industrial electrical work and provides services such as construction management.”

Garcia says the hands-on experience he is getting as a commercial field engineer is invaluable, and that his GTCC classroom experience is just as irreplaceable.

“There are many things I recognize on the job site that my instructor has talked about in class,” said the 20-year-old first-generation student. “The program itself combines theoretical knowledge and practical skills in project management, focusing on areas like residential plannings, blueprint reading, building materials, and North Carolina codes.”

Garcia will graduate from GTCC next spring and continue his career in construction. He knows he could not be better prepared.

“I believe GTCC can help you in so many ways and not just career wise but as an individual,” said Garcia. “The job fairs are amazing, and the instructors are very helpful. You learn something new every day. GTCC is a great place to set you up for success.”

For more information on GTCC’s Construction Management program, visit gtcc.edu/academics/academic-programs/programs/manufacturing-transportation-construction/construction-management.php.