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John Burns is the operations manager for Vila & Son’s Fort Myers, Florida branch. Less than two years ago, he was a senior in the Horticulture Science program at the University of Florida. Since graduating in May of 2006 with a B.S. degree, John has interned for 11 weeks with Vila & Son, and then held positions as a project engineer, paver foreman, and landscape supervisor, among other assignments.

“My career path has been a bit accelerated,” John admits. “Working hard and being in the right place at the right time has given me a tremendous number of opportunities, and I’ve tried to make the most of them. This never would have happened, though, without me going to Student Career Days and meeting some Vila & Son staff members at the Career Fair.”

While at the University of Florida, John attended two Student Career Days, the first one in Maryland in 2005 and the second one in Utah in 2006. At both, he attended seminars, competed in various events, and walked the Career Fair floor.

“I talked with Vila & Son in Utah,” he recalls. After a couple of more phone interviews, I was offered an internship. Someone from their staff watched me compete in four events that year — in arboriculture, irrigation assembly, wood construction, and landscape plant installation. If I remember correctly, I think I fared well in the event.  I think I finished somewhere within the top 30.

“I tell everyone who will listen to go to Student Career Days. Even if they don’t know what part of the green industry they want to work in, the event is well worth their time.  The seminars on estimating, costing, and other business-related subjects will bring the industry to life, and if they want a career in the green industry, they will get intern and job offers there. The green industry is looking for qualified people, and the companies that attend the Career Fair are serious about finding future managers.”

Taking along a résumé and being willing to talk with industry representatives are two pieces of advice that John has for students looking to attend their first Student Career Days. The resume acts almost like a business card for students and being able to talk face-to-face with company representatives is invaluable, he emphasizes.
 
After working nearly two years for Vila & Son, John says that college and Student Career Days seem light years away.  During his internship, he split his time among three branch locations and a company growing facility in Homestead, Florida.  He was hired on full time as a project engineer, but almost immediately became foreman for a crew that paved 10 medians on South Florida’s second busiest highway. John says as foreman he helped train the crew in paver installation and prepare a crew member to take over as foreman after he took on other areas.
    
Since leaving the paving crew, John has interacted with customers during both the pre-construction and construction phases of projects. As operations manager for Construction, he is busy scheduling crews, making sure materials arrive at the site on time, and otherwise keeping projects moving along on schedule and within budget.

“It’s a great job and a great place to work,” says John. “It all began in Utah and a Student Career Days that turned out to be the launching pad for my career.”
 
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