Construction has often been considered one of the last industries to embrace technology. That is starting to change, however, as aggregates and construction companies look for new ways to alter the mindset of those at the jobsite.
Enter millennials. They have grown up with apps and solutions to solve just about any system problem that arises.
Some of the emerging technology that millennials appear to be comfortable with that they might leverage on the jobsite include:
- Drones.
- Artificial Intelligence.
- Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality.
- Smartphone Apps.
- Tablets.
- Wearables.
Fresh Thinking
“Millennials have grown up attached to technology. Jobsites today are so far removed from what millennials have come to expect in their daily lives. They expect new solutions to do their job better, to get rid of manual processes,” said Chad Hollingsworth, cofounder and president, Triax Technologies.
One of the challenges is closing the gap between the more seasoned construction professional that might be more hesitant to leverage new systems, and the younger, tech-savvy generation that might not have as much experience with traditional construction methods.
“Older generations look to millennials for how to incorporate the tech into the jobsite,” said Paul Gomori, application engineering manager, JCA Electronics.
Moving Construction into the Future
There are advantages to having more software and devices on the jobsite besides attracting a younger workforce.
It boils down to improvements in efficiency and productivity compared to older manual processes, explained Barry Peyton, product manager, Intelliwave Technologies. These types of enhancements can be measured and traced back to bottom-line improvements across the construction site.
“The right construction technology can centralize information and communication, improve safety and reduce the amount of time spent on non-value-added tasks,” said Hollingsworth. “It is something that [workers] can use to develop skills, streamline daily tasks, and become better at their jobs.”
The attitude and outlook that millennials have toward their life and job can help entice them to work in the construction field. Hollingsworth said, “Millennials want to add value, make an impact and find meaning in what they’re doing. This carries over to their professional lives.”
What can be more rewarding than turning piles of dirt into buildings, roads, bridges and other construction?