Construction is facing a labor shortage—and it isn’t the only industry affected. A shortfall of skilled workers is impacting businesses across the AEC industries, and elearning is a critical piece of the solution.
As an industry, construction has been slower to embrace digital transformation. While digitization presents its own challenges, many digital tools are not designed with the unique needs of the construction industry in mind—and a tool that doesn’t fit its users’ context can quickly become a stumbling block.
The hurdles to training in the construction industry are varied. Learning often happens on the job and in the field. In many cases, it incorporates multiple layers of specialized information: safety procedures, regulatory compliance, or even customized project-specific processes. Documentation of classes and certifications is also crucial.
The right LMS for a construction business doesn’t just provide good information—it meets employees where they need it most. When evaluating elearning options, consider these four key features:
1. Flexible, Personalized Learning Paths
One of the biggest challenges to effective training in any industry, particularly in construction, is time. It can be difficult to allocate hours for quality learning, especially when rising demand creates more pressing work.
Construction employees often need to leave the field for training, separating them from the tools and situations where the training is most applicable. Many workers also already have experience with the subject matter and risk retreading material they already know.
Skill assessments and personalized learning paths allow workers to focus on the content they need, avoiding unnecessary repetition. Shorter, targeted lessons improve retention, and the ability to access course content from anywhere enables workers to apply what they’ve learned immediately, reinforcing the information.
This flexibility also streamlines hiring and onboarding, which are high-priority tasks during a skilled labor shortage. Skill assessments provide a straightforward way to identify talented new hires and customize their onboarding and initial training to help them get up to speed quickly.
2. Relevant and Up-to-Date Content Libraries
The construction technology ecosystem is becoming increasingly sophisticated, requiring both new hires and current workers to stay updated on the latest developments. This applies to every level of the construction process, whether managing a project in Procore, modeling a building in Revit, or designing components in SolidWorks.
A construction-oriented LMS should offer relevant content libraries that are regularly updated to reflect the latest software versions and industry standards. Customization of course libraries is also important to match company-specific use cases and policies.
3. Documentation and User History
With health and safety at stake, the construction industry is heavily regulated. Compliance often requires regular recertification or training, updated materials when regulations change, and retaining proof of completed courses or certifications.
A suitable LMS should track and provide historical user data, detailing which users have completed specific courses and when. It should also store and retrieve certifications for easy access. Collecting this training data ensures compliance with regulatory obligations.
Additionally, user data offers insights into the workforce, helping identify skill gaps and guiding targeted training or hiring initiatives. It also highlights which LMS resources are most utilized, enabling focused improvements in high-demand areas such as certification courses, safety training, or reference materials.
4. A Repository for Institutional Knowledge
Construction often involves specialized knowledge that resides solely in employees’ minds. This can create bottlenecks when others need access to that expertise or significant disruptions if the employee leaves the organization.
A robust LMS serves as a repository for institutional knowledge, making it accessible to all employees, both current and future. Centralizing this information improves operational efficiency and reduces interruptions for the expert employees who would otherwise need to provide it.
An LMS can also be used to establish standard operating procedures and workflows, providing workers with a reference for complex processes whenever and wherever needed.
Pinnacle Series: A Construction LMS Built for the Industry
Pinnacle Series is specifically designed to meet the needs of the AEC industries. In an environment where skilled workers are hard to find, KnowledgeSmart skill assessments help identify talent to grow businesses. The course libraries cover top construction software titles in depth, and the content and workflows can be customized to meet specific training needs.
To learn more about how Pinnacle Series enhances e-learning in the construction industry or to request a demonstration of the software, contact Microsol Resources today at info@microsolresources.com
Effective January 7, 2025, prices will increase on many Autodesk subscription renewals.
Autodesk recently announced that the 5% discount on annual renewals will be discontinued and the 10% discount on multi-year renewals will be reduced to 5%. This change does not apply to subscription renewals discounted through trade-in offers like Move to Subscription (M2S) and Transition to Named User.
Here’s how to plan ahead:
Renew your subscription early and before January 7, 2025 to take advantage of current pricing.
Renew for a 3-year term to avoid any possible prices increases during that period.
Feel free to reach out if your subscription expiration date is after January 6th.
Affected Products
The following popular Autodesk products and more are impacted by these changes:
AutoCAD & AutoCAD LT
AEC Collection
Product Design & Manufacturing Collection
Revit
Civil 3D
BIM Collaborate Pro
Navisworks
No Changes to:
Premium, Flex, M2S, and Named User subscriptions.
Government pricing, which may vary.
Take Action Today
Prepare for these upcoming changes and ensure your team remains equipped with the tools they need. Contact us to discuss your options or to secure your renewal.
By purchasing directly from us, you gain access to:
Personalized renewal support.
Expert license management and assistance tailored to your needs.
Industry-leading guidance for your digitization journey.
FAQs
Why is Autodesk making these changes? The adjustments align Autodesk’s pricing globally and streamline renewal policies across regions.
Are there exceptions? Yes, certain globally priced subscriptions (Premium, Flex) and Enterprise Business Agreements are unaffected.
Can I still get discounts? Yes, 3-year subscription renewals will retain the 5% discount, and EMS subscriptions in select markets will also receive specific discounts.
Enscape’s 4.2 update introduces powerful features designed to enhance real-time rendering workflows. Here’s a detailed look at what’s new:
1. Revit Graphics Override
This feature allows designers to achieve visual consistency across Revit views, giving presentations and exports a more cohesive look. Now, any adjustments to model appearances in Revit translate directly to Enscape, eliminating the need to adjust graphics between platforms manually.
2. World Coordinate System (WCS) Mapping for Rhino
For Rhino users, WCS Mapping enables material textures to remain true-to-scale regardless of object dimensions or transformations. This means materials such as wood grains and tiled surfaces retain accurate alignment, crucial for models requiring consistent, real-scale materials.
3. Improved Software Ray-Tracing
Enscape 4.2 enhances ray-tracing for software that allows more realistic lighting and shadow behavior, supporting better illumination in challenging spaces. Designers can create renderings that not only capture natural light more convincingly but also refine the level of detail in shadows and reflections.
4. Expanded Section Plane Support
Both Rhino and Vectorworks now support up to six section planes, giving users more flexibility in how they present or dissect their models. This added capability is particularly beneficial for large-scale projects or complex designs where multiple sections are needed to illustrate structural relationships.
5. Enhanced Artistic Visual Modes
For users looking to add a unique, stylized look to their models, Enscape has expanded its Artistic Visual Modes. The latest update includes more texture options and shading effects, ideal for exploring conceptual designs or creating high-impact visuals for presentations.
6. Enscape Impact Add-On
Sustainability has become increasingly integral to design, and Enscape’s new Impact add-on supports energy performance analysis directly within the render. This tool enables designers to make informed, sustainable design decisions right from the earliest stages, considering energy efficiency as part of the creative process.
With Enscape 4.2, designers have a toolkit that boosts accuracy, adaptability, and visual quality. These updates not only improve productivity but also empower architects, interior designers, and planners to deliver more engaging and sustainable designs.
Features the latest informative and technical content provided by our industry experts for designers, engineers, and construction firms and facility owners.
