Every year, the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) competition brings thousands of university students and construction-industry professionals to Sparks, Nevada, to provide students a challenging, real-world project that put their abilities to the test. For 16 years, Layton has proudly sponsored a “problem” in the mixed-use category. For 2025, participants took on a high-stakes project: the complicated yet stunning Worthington Tower, a 31-story high-rise in downtown Salt Lake City. With multiple challenges to overcome, the project pushed teams to think critically and strategize like true construction professionals.
“This year, Layton highlighted the Worthington Tower, which included a record number of weather days, tight site logistics, and multiple curveballs for the teams to solve,” said HR Director Dan Lee. “The teams all did very well, and we are proud of the work they put in. Scoring was extremely tight this year—a mere 1.2 points separated the top four teams.”
What the Competition Entailed
Student teams from 16 universities were tasked with responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) and presenting their approach in an interview with Layton’s judging panel. They developed detailed schedules, estimates, project management plans, and safety strategies—all in just two days.
“ASC is something I look forward to each year,” said VP Cory Rhodes, who led the Layton team. “It’s always refreshing to see the energy and the desire to learn the students show. The Worthington project was selected this year, and the students all came up with unique solutions to the deliverables we requested.
The competition brought out impressive performances, with Boise State securing first place, Montana State taking second, and BYU rounding out the top three.
Why We Do It
Layton’s participation in the ASC competition isn’t just about testing students; it’s about mentorship, education, and finding the next generation of construction professionals. Across all the teams, we had 96 students we were able to connect and interact with over the competition. We had unique opportunities to show them our culture and teach them about our core values, why we construct with integrity, and what makes us such a unique company.”
“The energy at ASC is palpable!” said Sr. PM Janette Pais. “It’s amazing to see so much young talent excited to dive into the Layton culture via the sponsored problem. It’s even more impressive to see the passion my colleagues present their project with!”
ASC provides a platform for Layton to connect with top students from across the West, and many of those students go on to join the company. “This event provides an opportunity for us to mentor the students through a real-world scenario and see how they perform,” said Dan. “It also gives us a chance to recruit some of the best and brightest coming out of top construction programs.”
With another successful competition in the books, Layton is already looking forward to next year’s ASC event and to seeing these talented students in the industry soon, hopefully working for Layton.
Boise State University won first place for the Layton problem at the ASC competition.
Montana State University took second place for the Layton problem at the ASC student competition.
Brigham Young University secured third place for the Layton problem at the ASC student competition.
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