re: How can I get into commercial/civil/industrial construction estimating?

^^ this guy knows what's up. Especially with no field experience you'll basically be seen and not heard from for a couple years. You essentially are being paid to learn.

It is kind of understood amongst the LSU CM program that, although getting the degree is important, what you learn in school is not. Theses companies take you in and teach you how they want things done.

Now I'm sure if you have a better grasp of things out of school, that would mean quicker promotions. However, I'm graduating this spring from LSU and the there are plenty of kids that have never even seen a site first hand. They are still getting jobs though, just not with the larger companies