INVESTING IN OUR INDUSTRY
Peter Razavi with the SJSU Student Chapter several years ago on an AGC of California jobsite tour.
My Personal Journey: From AGC Student Chapter to CEF Board
BY PETER RAZAVI I 18
found myself surrounded by fear and anxiety at my first industry con- ference. I remember thinking to
myself, do I fit in? Do I have the skill set to succeed? Am I dressed appropriately? All my insecurities of being a first-generation immigrant began to surface. Fortunately, AGC of California con-
ferences have an open atmosphere with professionals treating each other like family and wanting to support one an- other. In this spirit, I was approached by an influential executive from one of the nation’s top general contracting firms
CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
who had sensed my introverted nature. We had a fairly long conversation
about my background, my goals, and desire to join the construction industry. Tis simple conversation gave me the courage to break out of my shell by ap- proaching other leaders at the conference and making invaluable connections, which I cherish to this day. Just prior to attending that first confer-
ence, I had my first introduction to AGC of California Student Chapters through a great friend who was at the time the San Jose State University (SJSU) Student Chapter
President and who currently works for an AGC of California member company. I was an undergraduate civil engineering student, eager to learn more about the construction industry while developing my leadership skills. To this day, I believe leadership and being able to create influence are the most essential skills that students should learn early on in their education. Soon after, I was selected as the Stu-
dent Chapter president at SJSU and was able to grow my skill set and help other students do the same. During my lead- ership of that chapter, we hosted various events such as jobsite tours, volunteering, lunch and learns, training, networking, and career fairs which helped our students gain a much better understanding of the industry they were about to enter.
Leveraging Industry Connections Shortly after completing my undergrad- uate studies, I started graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley and reactivated the AGC of California
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