After the Professional Forum on Amelia Island, in the sparkling new Davis College of Business on the campus of Jacksonville University, a panel of eight IAMC members met with a room full of business students to talk about career opportunities in fields many may not have encountered before.

Of the institution's 3,000 students, just under 1,000 are enrolled in business school, said Dean Jan Duggar. In addition, the school is known for its offerings in aviation management, integrating business skills with such areas as flight operations and airport management. Duggar said every student in the latest class to graduate from the program was hired by an airline.

IAMC Executive Director Ron Starner introduced the panelists by focusing on their initial reason for being in north Florida: lifelong learning, via the just-concluded IAMC Professional Forum on nearby Amelia Island. IAMC Chair Scott Reed, site development engineer for Anheuser-Busch, noted his own continuous learning in his remarks: Not only has he benefited over many years from associations such as IAMC and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), he also was scheduled to participate in classes in seismic design the following week.

IAMC Executive Director Ron Starner told business school students that the continuous learning path they're just now embarking upon is one that every IAMC panelist continues to follow, including their experience at the just-concluded Professional Forum.

"My job embodies the five careers I've had," said CSX's Charles McSwain, immediate past chair of IAMC. He noted that a recent human resources session at CSX had focused on how many of the company's 35,000 employees would be retiring in the next five years. "[CSX CEO] Michael Ward is focused on that," said McSwain. And, therefore, so should be business students.

Ralph Pirtle, director of real estate and facility management for Panasonic Corp. of North America, said that, like his colleagues, he found his education to be critical. In his case, it included a double major in real estate and finance, followed by an MBA at Kellogg. He characterized the field of corporate real estate as wide open. "There are so many sides of the business," he told the students. "I also think it's going to be a great career. The Asia Pacific is the factory of the future. India is the office of the future. Real estate is hands-on, and not at risk of offshoring."

Cary Hutchings, director of economic development for the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, said his economic development education has come partly via his business degree and partly by osmosis. He stressed the importance of pursuing continuous education through involvement in civic groups and young professionals groups. "Give back something," he said. "Get behind a cause."

Susan Reber, real estate manager for Air Products and Chemicals, said her background in accounting and finance prepared the way for her career at the company, where she spent 20 years in accounting before crossing over to the real estate side, and being "scared to death" when she did so.

IAMC Vice Chair Pete Garra, director of real estate for The Linde Group, came from a similar background into the same industrial niche as Reber. Early in his career, he moved from insurance to real estate and "fell in love with it," he said. "Land and plants are the foundation of every industrial company," he said in reinforcing Pirtle's point about the stability of the profession. That said, changes in the business and the profession necessitate education, whether via consulting with peers at IAMC or taking law and real estate classes at NYU.

Jeff Adelson, responsible for disposition of surplus properties in North America for Boeing Realty, noted his envy of the students in the room entering the work force at a "dynamic time in aviation." He remarked on the growing diversity of the Boeing work force over his 30 years at the company, noting that the woman who now heads airplane production was a history major, and another woman who is now the head test pilot for the 777 program wasn't even a pilot when she began her Boeing career.

Lea Yaest, director of business development for architecture, planning, engineering and design firm Leo A. Daly, said relationships and passion for what you do are the keys to whatever career path one chooses, noting her good fortune in having mentors in her life.

Students and instructors alike gave their rapt attention to IAMC panelists at Jacksonville University.

One of the first questions from the college audience was whether there continues to be a glass ceiling for women in the panelists' various fields of endeavor.

"If anything, the pendulum is swinging the other way," said Pete Garra. "We think of it as inclusion," said Charles McSwain, "being open enough to the best and the brightest." Cary Hutchings noted the preponderance of female staff in his organization. Susan Reber was a bit more circumspect: "The glass ceiling is softening," she said of her historically male-dominated industry. "The chemical industry is coming around. The best thing you can do in a new position is find mentors, and learn to understand the culture of your company."

Asked by a professor in the room for helpful tips for young professionals in getting to know a corporate culture, Scott Reed noted the growth of internships and co-op programs at Anheuser-Busch. "That's a golden opportunity," he said. "It's the longest interview you'll ever have."

As for the interview itself, there was no shortage of counsel.

"Answer the questions," said Reed. "When they ask you about being part of a team, answer it." In addition, he added, it doesn't hurt to spend 10 minutes on the Web learning about your prospective employer, and then put yourself through a practice interview.

"Teamwork and the ability to work with people are key," added Jeff Adelson. "I've seen so many people come in and not participate. It's okay for a new generation to come in and lead."

"Don't be intimidated by the interviewer," said McSwain. "You're as good as they are."

And once that first job begins, said Yaest, there are a few more tips to keep in mind:

IAMC Vice Chair Pete Garra gets to know students at Jacksonville University's Davis College of Business.

"Have a good work ethic," she said. "Show up early, and don't bolt for the door at five o'clock. Leave the instant messaging [and other gadgets] at home, because when you're texting, you're not there, and you need to be there."

"Are we teaching what we need to be teaching?" asked a professor. "What are the strengths and weaknesses in the young people you're seeing?"

Some of the necessary skills are basic, but in need of sharpening, said some. They include interpersonal, writing and telephone skills. "We no longer expect an eight-to-five schedule," said McSwain, but his company insists on the core competencies of teamwork and accountability. "Practice your leadership skills," he said.

Echoing comments made by NAM's Phyllis Eisen earlier in the day, Garra and Pirtle emphasized the fact that there is no such thing as entitlement. "You have to earn what you get," said Garra.

Finally, if that first job doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world.

"It doesn't have to be that first job," said McSwain. "Have some patience," said Hutchings. "There is tremendous opportunity." "Job change is inevitable," said Pirtle, noting the pace of mergers and corporate consolidation. "Embrace it. If you resist change, you'll be left behind."

Sitting in the audience, IAMC member David Snyder, executive vice president of corporate business development for Constructors & Associates, said, "You have to love what you do. If you don't like that first job, move on. Have pride, and be the best at what you do."