Communication in the Construction Industry - EMLS class learns the importance of 'communication signatures' and personal connections

On Wednesday February 7th, English Language Studies hosted a guest speaker who spoke about communication in the construction industry. EMLS 105R students, students from other engineering courses, and guests from other departments gathered to hear a presentation from Brad Conrad, a project manager with PCL Construction who described his experiences in the architectural and construction industries and how he tailors his communication for different audiences, contexts, and purposes. The most notable take away from the presentation was Brad’s insight into how creating our own ‘communication signatures’ and making personal connections through small talk can greatly enhance our business relationships and aid us in times when we must communicate potentially difficult information.

EMLS 105R, English in Employment Contexts, taught by Allyson Conrad, is an Engineering Communication course for multi-lingual speakers. This semester most students in the course major in architectural engineering and management sciences programs, so the topic of Brad’s presentation was especially informative as many of these students may complete their co-ops or secure future jobs in the construction field. A special thank you to Julia Williams (Culture and Language Studies) and George Lamont (English Language and Literature) for their assistance and support in bringing this event to life. Brad may be contacted on LinkedIn or through Allyson Conrad.

For more information about EMLS 105R or any other EMLS course, please contact Julia Williams or check out the Waterloo Course Calendar