Investing in education is key to realising a high tech, robotics-led construction industry, says CEO

Last week we looked at Balfour Beatty’s predictions for the construction sites of 2050, as well as 10 recommendations that the industry should consider as we embrace this technological and robotically advanced construction site of the future.

But in order to get to the world of tomorrow we must focus on the world of today.

Those are the words of Chris Wood, CEO of a construction training specialist called Develop Training, the UK's leading accredited provider of Compliance, Technical, and Safety training.

 “Each of these predictions for the future rely on an increasing use of technology, and its applications, and greater imagination on the part of engineers, architects and building contractors,”

“However, to realise the dream of a robotics-led, high-tech construction environment fundamental changes will need to be wrought in both education and the aspirations of those already at school.

“Many of the engineers and builders of 2050 have already been born and are at school, but continue to learn in an environment more suited to the previous 30 years than the future decades.

“If we are going to see the widespread use of new materials, new technologies and an atmosphere of fearless innovation then we need to be sowing the seeds for these behaviours now.

“These will rely on greater investments in STEM subjects in schools and universities and the abandonment of long-held misconceptions that construction and engineering careers are necessarily male-oriented and largely manual trades.”

Read also:

Innovation 2050: 10 predictions for the future of the construction industry

10 ways the construction industry can prepare for a future of innovation

SSH: driving technological innovation within building and design