Lack of BIM skills could make construction labor shortage worse

A dearth of BIM skills within the construction industry could make labor shortages worse, according to the founder and CEO of Diasphere, an Austin-based MEP BIM services firm.

With BIM and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) being relatively new concepts, opportunities to learn necessary skills remain in short supply. As a result, companies have difficulty filling critical positions that demand these skills.

The Problem With BIM Adoption: Training

A key challenge is limited educational programs and opportunities. Educators struggle to find qualified instructors and put together appropriate curriculums because relatively few people have the knowledge to teach these skills. The result is a catch twenty-two, as more people experienced in BIM are needed to train the people who will expand BIM adoption, but until BIM is more widely adopted, there are not enough people with experience to train new teams.

The fastest and most effective strategy for overcoming this challenge is for BIM companies to develop in-house training programs.