NASCC: The Steel Conference is AISC's annual premier event for engineers, fabricators, detailers, general contractors, erectors, educators and students to learn about structural steel design and construction, to interact with their peers, and to see the latest products for steel buildings and bridges. Students are encouraged to attend! Plus, we offer a great networking event and session specifically for students, called Students Connecting with Industry Sessions (SCIS). 

The 2022 NASCC: The Steel Conference will be held March 23-25, 2022 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. The Students Connecting with Industry Sessions (SCIS) will be announced soon!

Learn more about this year's SCIS events at aisc.org/nascc/students. 

As a student member of AISC, you can attend The Steel Conference and SCIS for free.

If you are not yet a student member of AISC you’ll need to complete your student membership application as soon as possible. Once your membership is confirmed you can register for The Steel Conference and receive the discounted price. Download the student membership application here. Please note: you'll need to submit a copy of your class schedule and your student ID with your completed application.

Direct Connect is no ordinary networking session! While you may attend job fairs or networking sessions on campus, the companies in attendance may be limited by geography. Often, these events are attended by HR personnel, with few actual engineers.

Direct Connect features engineering firms from around the country, from a variety of industries. The people you will meet at Direct Connect are almost exclusively engineers, and many are leaders at their respective firms. The engineers that participate in Direct Connect may also be some of the speakers that you'll see as part of The Steel Conference.

Companies participating in Direct Connect in prior years include Walter P. Moore, ARUP, TY Lin International, and Parsons. View the SCIS page for a list of companies that participated in 2019. The 2022 list will be confirmed a few weeks before The Steel Conference. 

AISC Student Members who attend the SCIS program will be eligible to receive up to a $175 reimbursement.

While at SCIS, you will receive an expense form to log your hotel and travel costs. You must either attend the Afternoon Session or Direct Connect session to receive an expense form at the end of the SCIS program. Receipts are required for reimbursement. 

Complete the form with your expense information and submit the form with copies of all of your receipts. Approximately, 4-6 weeks following the conference, upon approval by AISC, you will receive a check. View our expense guidelines for the complete list of what's included.  

Note: You must be an AISC Student Member to receive reimbursement.

Also note: Reimbursable expenses have changed for the 2020 program and include lodging and transportation costs only.

1. Register to become an AISC Student Member here. 
2. Register for The Steel Conference and SCIS.
3. Make your travel plans. 
4. Book your hotel. 

Information about conference hotels is now available here. If hotel rooms are not available through our block(s), you may be asked to signed up for a waitlist. We recommend that you pair up with other student attendees and share the cost of the room. Keep in mind this cost can also be shared as part of the student travel reimbursement. 

Conference hotels fill up quickly. We recommend that you reserve your room as soon as possible. If you are having trouble finding rooms through the conference website, you can try contacting MCI directly by phone (800.830.5812). You can also check back on the website; additional blocks of rooms are sometimes released, and if other people cancel their rooms, they can become available online immediately.

Once you register, there are five steps to take to prepare for SCIS.

1. Prep your resume. You'll want to have extra copies, especially to hand out during the Direct Connect. 
2. Create a LinkedIn profile. You can connect with representatives from companies you meet at the conference.  
3. Make business cards. People may not always be able to take a hard copy of a resume, but they can always take a business card. Business cards can be created and printed from your own computer (Avery creates business card paper that can be purchased at Staples or any office supply store), or you can also look into services such as uprinting.com and vistaprint.com which allow you to design and print your own cards. 
4. Complete the student questionnaire. This questionnaire, sent to SCIS registrants before the conference, allows you to specify information about your educational background, and whether or not you are seeking a job or internship. In addition, the LinkedIn profile that you created above can be included, and with your permission, this information is made available to all of the companies participating in Direct Connect.
5. Review the final program (available in spring 2020). You'll be able to find sessions outside of SCIS to attend. 

The Steel Conference is a professional atmosphere; however, you will see all levels of attire, from jeans and polos, to suits and ties, and a few t-shirts.  

However, we like to go by the saying: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." We recommend that you wear professional dress for all SCIS events, and at least business casual (no jeans or t-shirts) to all other The Steel Conference events. You'll be networking with professionals that could make hiring decisions someday, so dress to impress!

Any of the four people listed below can help you with your questions!

• Maria Mnookin (mnookin@aisc.org)
• Brian Quinn (Brian.Quinn@findyourengineer.com)
• Lisa Willard (Lisa.Willard@learnwithseu.com)