American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

By Alfredo Cely, ASCE FLORIDA VICE PRESIDENT DISTRICT II

Alfredo Cely is the founding member of Alfka, an Engineering Consulting Firm specializing in Transportation, and an Engineering Professor at the University of South Florida.

The Hidden Knowledge Gap within the AEC Industry Labor Shortage

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry is facing a significant challenge: a shortage of qualified professionals. This shortage has intensified the competition among firms to attract and retain employees, leading to firms investing in employee development, promoting diversity and inclusion, and exploring internal mobility to fill vacancies and provide career growth opportunities for existing employees.

However, this challenge is further compounded by the fact that graduating students do not have the necessary knowledge to complete designs using Building Information Modeling (BIM) or Construction/Civil Information Modeling (CIM). This lack of knowledge and experience in BIM/CIM poses a significant problem for the AEC industry, which increasingly relies on these models for planning, design, construction and operations.

In recent years, transportation agencies have started to plan and design roads in BIM/CIM because they understand the potential benefits these systems offer in construction. These benefits include improved productivity of operations and worker safety.

Using BIM/CIM also enhances the bidding process and allows contractors to use Automated Machine Guidance (AMG) to yield higher quality and less expensive construction. According to a survey from the Federal Highway Administration-1, transportation agencies can save 25% to 33% in the construction costs of highways and bridges by using BIM/CIM models.

Using these systems requires a specific set of skills that go beyond standard computer-aided design training. BIM/CIM requires the use of engineering concepts to create parameters to design and model construction projects. Additionally, the AEC field is vast, and different systems are used for many different areas in the field, further increasing the complexity.

The ultimate challenge is the integration of BIM/CIM with design, requiring new professionals to have a well-rounded knowledge of engineering concepts and how those are applied within BIM/CIM and AMG systems.

The lack of knowledge and experience in BIM/CIM is not only a problem for graduating students but also for professionals who have been in the workforce for some time. The Florida Department of Transportation-2 (FDOT) now requires engineers to sign and seal BIM files as part of the delivery of construction documents for building and maintaining our State’s highways.

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida-3, in partnership with the FDOT, provides in-person training for using BIM with costs around $600 per hour, with a total required investment of 20 to 40 instructional hours. This translates to an additional $12,000 to $24,000 investment in just BIM training for someone entering the workforce. According to the National Center for Education Statistics-4, in 2023 dollars, it costs an average of $17,000 per year in tuition to obtain a 4-year degree. Thus, including the BIM/CIM training is the equivalent of completing more than a year of college coursework.

The AEC industry must address this challenge by working together – practitioners, employers, and educators – to better prepare the future workforce. This can include updating AEC degree curriculums to include BIM/CIM, providing training opportunities for current professionals to acquire these skills, and encouraging firms to invest in employee development to retain talent and foster innovation.

In conclusion, the shortage of qualified practitioners and the lack of knowledge and experience in BIM/CIM are significant challenges facing the AEC industry. But by working together, the industry can address these challenges and develop a diverse pipeline of talented candidates to help meet the industry’s growing demand for professionals.

The benefits of using BIM and 3D models in construction are undeniable, and it is crucial that the industry invests in the necessary skills and knowledge to fully utilize these tools and continue to innovate and grow.

References

1. FHWA Techbrief 3D Engineered Models for Construction (FHWA-HIF-13-050)

2. FDOT 2023 Florida Design Manual Chapter 130.4 Signing and Sealing BIM

3. ACEC Florida FDOTConnect Training Labs Course Schedule

4. National Center for Education Statistics. Table 330.10. Average undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board rates