How gaming will influence the construction industry
The Chartered Institute of Building has developed a construction game which will provide players with relevant skills and supply key knowledge towards processes which could be utilised within a construction role. Amongst increased concerns that over 400,000 UK Construction workers are set to retire between 2018 and 2023, there is a vital need to find ways to attract and engage a younger and impressionable market into the construction industry by developing their knowledge and skills base, alongside an interest within various roles within construction.
The “global games market [is] expected to grow from $91.8 billion in 2015 to a total of $118.6 billion by 2019” (source: UK Interactive Entertainment). ‘Craft your Future’ has been incorporated within the already popular game ‘Minecraft’, which has been purchased over a staggering 18,000,000 times since its original release. The game is aimed at 12-14 year olds, where they encounter real life issues and scenarios within the construction industry, designing, collaborating with others and building effective solutions for potential real-life construction tasks. The game is freely accessible through the Minecraft Education Platform and is popular within educational institutions, of which the lessons are split into four sectors: construction, restoration, maintenance and new build and refurbishment.
Bridget Bartlett, Deputy Chief Executive at the CIOB said: “Combining Minecraft and a thorough curriculum for the teacher makes for a unique and immersive experience and will help reveal why the industry is important and why a career in construction can be so rewarding […] these young learners will not only have fun but also develop their communication, team working and mathematics skills; skills that construction has a high demand for.”
For more information: http://ciobmc.org.
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