MATCHMAKER PROGRAM

The demand for engineering, construction, and architecture talent is growing, and recruiting top talent from universities is competitive, expensive, and time-consuming.

Dodge Data & Analytics reports that construction starts will increase by 33% by the end of 2026 and the College Recruiter reports that the average cost-per-hire for on-campus recruiting is $6,110.

To address these growing challenges in the AEC industry, EIA is pleased to introduce the Matchmaker Program.

The Goal

The goal of the EIA Matchmaker Program is to provide AEC companies with new and more effective opportunities to recruit diverse and emerging engineering student leaders from universities while simultaneously allowing companies and their staff to participate in integrated external engagement.

On average, EIA engages several hundred university students from over 25 university chapters to design and build critical infrastructure projects in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Eswatini annually.

Active University Partners

Curious about our university partnerships? Let's dive in!

University Partners

Testimonials

"The most valuable lesson I learned is simply how much I've grown in my leadership skills, technical skills, soft skills, character, and my overall person….I can take ownership of a project and make informed decisions on my own. I have developed an eye for detail and can think critically on the fly to catch things that don't look quite right and discuss with my teammates on how to fix it. I can think technically and make quality control or construction or design decisions. The list goes on and on but I have never learned SO much from any other single project."

Maggie Schwarz, Notre Dame Program Alumnus
"Every opportunity to be involved is an honour - to be chosen to support and help a group of young engineers progress their studies and their career aspirations and also to be part of a group to help a community somewhere who are less fortunate and leave something which will improve the quality of their lives is not something that can be measured. It is something I look forward to every time."

Tommy Ward, Principal Civil Engineer at Jacobs and EIA Mentor
"As an alumnus of the Bridge Program I believe that these types of projects are very valuable in the development of young engineers as they will challenge the students in ways that are simply not possible in the classroom. Seeing the growth of the students throughout the academic year is always a delight. Seeing them gain confidence and technical skills is very rewarding."

Spencer Ness, PhD Candidate at Notre Dame and EIA Mentor
"It was striking to see how much I have learned and grown in confidence as a construction professional since my last bridge build. I felt more confident making decisions. Being involved in this project made me think of myself more confidently as a construction professional. I am excited to be in the construction industry and continue working on impactful projects. It was meaningful to apply my industry experience on a EIA project."

Max Ducey, Project Engineer at AC Schommer & Sons and EIA Mentor

How it Works

Students create the engineering design, drawing set, material and cost estimates, construction schedule, risk mitigation plans, and more before spending part of their summer living and working alongside community members to complete the project construction.

This combination of design-build experience and cross-cultural exchange supplements what students learn in the classroom. Beyond gaining technical design and project management skills, students learn teamwork, leadership, and cross-cultural competency. Students become better leaders, collaborators, communicators, empathizers, adaptors, and problem-solvers. And they want to work for a great company like yours.

Hire students who already have design-build experience.

- Engage numerous staff as student mentors, both throughout the academic year and in the field - a new take on "interviewing" college recruits.
- Have a booth at ElA's in-person annual conference career fair - recruit top students from over 20+ universities, all in one place.
- Access EIA’s elite student & alumni job portal.
- Post job openings to ElA's internal job board.
- An innovative new way to find co-ops, internships, and full-time jobs.
- Increased professional mentorship throughout the entire academic year and in the field.
- More opportunities for professional development and networking.
- Opportunities to showcase talent and skills to prospective employers.
- Learn about unique career paths in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.
- Year-round access is available to review and apply for job opportunities on ElA's internal job portal.

Rose Schweitzer

University of Iowa | HDR, Inc.

“On my first build experience with EIA, I got to know one of the Bridge Corps mentors, Greg Zeiss, who helped our team on site. He works in one of the California offices of HDR, an engineering and architectural consultant firm that operates globally. He shared some of his experiences with his company and industry and some interesting projects he has worked on. As a result, when I was looking for an internship a couple of summers later, HDR was a company I was highly interested in working for.”

Greg Zeiss

HDR, Inc.

“Each year, a few students stand out with their "can-do" leadership skills. Rose Schweitzer was one of those standout individuals. I met Rose on a bridge build in 2021 when she was a rising sophomore and where I served as one of her teams’ Bridge Corp mentors for a week. That build inspired Rose to become a Project Manager for her university team in Eswatini the following year. It takes an extra layer of leadership skills and ability to manage the added stress of serving as the Project Manager. Rose exceeded that challenge. “