Construction in motion can be a sight to see, with so many workers on site completing their work alongside each other and so many moving parts working together.

But that marvel doesn't happen on its own. To be successful, these construction projects take careful planning, collaboration, and coordination to execute, and it takes motivated individuals with a passion for their work to do it right.

Without those motivated trades workers and general contractors, there wouldn’t be a construction project to marvel at, leaving our construction sites empty. That's why we are diving into the realities of trades careers, how to help young people generate interest in construction careers, and how efforts like Autodesk’s Make it Real program are empowering young people to build successful careers for themselves.

Guests this episode:

• Savy Francis, Pipefitter at E.M. Duggan
• Kelsey Gauger, National Director for Operational Excellence at Suffolk Construction

We discuss:

• How new technology adoption naturally creates opportunities for knowledge transfer between older and younger generations of skilled workers
• How seeing the results of their work empowers, motivates, and inspires workers and brings meaning to their contribution
• The myth about construction and trades being antiquated and dirty
• Why both collaboration and transparency are needed for successful innovation
• Savy’s involvement in Building Pathways, a pre-apprenticeship program in Boston, MA that empowers people to secure a trades careers in Boston
• Autodesk’s Make it Real program that encourages young people to engage in their communities through construction

Assets Mentioned:

• Autodesk’s Make it Real Program

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube!

Many think of career growth as a set path one must take where they hit specific milestones to get to the next level. But  in today’s connected world, the paths to career growth and success have widened, and some may even surprise you. 

In this episode, Eric sits down with Natalya Cappellini, CEO of CURATO Design Build, and Kaitlin Frank, CEO of eMOD, two powerhouse leaders who have found success by embracing their own unexpected career journeys.  

Throughout the episode, we discuss: 

• How to identify and take smart risks to grow your experience and career 
• The importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone 
• The challenges facing women in construction 
• Transitioning from hands-on work to leadership in construction 
• How to build confidence in your skills and knowledge  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

 Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube! 

The Massachusetts Port Authority connects Massachusetts with the world through airports, cruise ports, container terminals, and more, and with so many complex operations going simultaneously, Massport is where technology and innovation intersect to keep everything running smoothly. What’s even more impressive is they do this with a relentless focus on improving the passenger and customer experience.  

Dr. Lucianna Burdi is the Director of Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs at the Massachusetts Port Authority. Her team is responsible for delivering projects safely, efficiently, and sustainably, while keeping the overall experience as high-quality as possible. In this episode, Eric and Dr. Burdi talk about how a passion for customer service drives her approach to infrastructure development, how large organizations should think about tech adoption, and why sharing our learnings is key to the long-term growth and success of the AEC industry.  

We explore: 

• How to innovate while navigating highly regulated industries 
• How clarity and navigational efficiency drive infrastructure design decisions 
• Why interconnected digital twins and collaborative design are the future of infrastructure management 
• How Massport trials new initiatives and acquires fast feedback for improvement and iteration 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Watch the video version of this episode recorded live at the Autodesk Technology Center! 

New technology, processes, and data standardization is great, but what happens when new processes aren’t well-maintained? Or when your team isn’t properly trained in the handover process on how to utilize these new processes to keep accurate records of construction projects?  

Amr Raafat, the Chief Innovation Officer at Windover Construction, is leading his team to innovate with BIM and digital twins to ensure problems like that become a relic of the past. Alongside the increasing adoption of new tech, Eric talks with Amr about the ways that BIM and digital twins are transforming the level of accessibility project stakeholders have and how Windover is leading the way in developing future-proof handover processes that minimize new skills training and maximize efficiency. 

We discuss: 

• How prefab is helping to reduce waste and emissions, and why AI has even more potential to do the same 
• How digital twin technology is enabling more effective and impactful facility management 
• Why new innovations in BIM and digital twins are transforming the handover process for clients 
• Establishing cultures of trust and honest two-way conversation are essential when introducing new tools and technologies. 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Behind every successful project is a slew of operations processes and team members that ensure project stakeholders have everything they need to complete the job on time with consistency and high quality. Without robust operations practices in place, projects can be doomed before they even begin. 

With that in mind, we’ve invited Giana Morini, Operations Technology Leader at DPR Construction, to share how operations thrives at DPR Construction and how their operational success can be replicated at any organization. 

We discuss: 

• Why operations technology is the foundation for innovation and design in construction 
• Critical differences between office and project site environments 
• Listening, understanding business goals, and building relationships with vendors are key in building a world-class technology stack 
• How to successfully capture and utilize data 
• How self-perform work can alleviate some labor shortage issues 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Construction continues to face ongoing challenges like labor shortages, supply chain limitations, and logistics complications. Strategic firms are looking for ways to proactively protect their margins in 2023 so they can not only withstand these issues, but so they can stay ahead and remain innovative and competitive. 

In this special round-up episode recorded throughout the last several months, Eric asked several of our recent podcast guests to share what companies should be focusing on in 2023 to protect their profit margins so they can continue to expand and innovate.  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

As digital adoption in construction continues to accelerate, companies face new challenges around data. Collection, verification, standardization, and utilization are all vital data processes for every company to implement properly—but where to start? 

During Autodesk University, Eric sat down with Jit Kee Chin, Executive Vice President and Chief Data Officer at Suffolk Construction, to discuss how companies can properly implement data standardization, how data transformation brings value to every level of an organization, and more. 

 We discuss: 

• Contributing factors to the acceleration of construction technology and digital adoption 
• How technology has made transparency easier to achieve 
• Why building trust in data is so important 
• The risks and rewards of data standardization 
• Why organizations need to build trust in the data they collect 
• How Data Democratization empowers workers at every level of an organization 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.

Younger generation involvement in construction is essential to continue industry-wide expansion and innovation. And today, construction is truly a dynamic industry with more career options to choose from where anyone can apply their individual skillsets and passions.  

In this episode, Eric sits down with Fopefoluwa (Fope) Bademosi, Circular Economy and Construction Researcher at Autodesk, and Evan Reilly, Senior Emerging Technology Engineer at Skanska, inside the Autodesk Technology Center in Boston, MA, to break down the most effective methods for inspiring the next generation, educating them about the opportunities available to them, and some of the biggest industry problems that need innovative thinkers with unique perspectives to solve. 

 We explore: 

• How to resonate with college and pre-college students when presenting about construction 
• How better data capture and purpose-built technology has increased the need for a diverse array of skillsets beyond construction-specific expertise 
• How to promote new ideas through establishing a culture of innovation 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

In another one of our incredible live interviews from Autodesk University, Eric sits down with Matt Abeles, Vice President of Construction Technology and Innovation at Associated Builders and Contractors, to talk about the work the ABC Tech Alliance is doing, strategic principles for  leaders looking to adopt new and innovative technologies, and more. 

 We explore: 

• The ABC Tech Alliance’s mission, values, and how it helps members use technology to be safer, increase revenue, and secure new opportunities 
• Highlights from this year’s ABC Technology Report Why many organizations are missing solutions that will solve 90% of the problem at a fraction of the cost 
• The trend of increasing collaboration between construction technology companies to innovate and solve more complex problems 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Construction often involves complex logistical planning and coordination, but what happens when you add building in one of the harshest environments on earth to the mix? 

In this episode, Eric sits down with David Brand, the Senior Project Manager from the British Antarctic Survey, and Neil Irving, Digital Project Solutions Business Partner at BAM Nuttall, to talk about their work on the British Antarctic Survey Project, how they overcome their project’s unique challenges, and what they’ve learned so far.  

We discuss: 

• How the project brings together digital construction and sustainability while enabling more advanced scientific research in the future 
• Why all project stakeholders need to collaborate thoroughly to ensure no details are missed 
• How prefabrication enables construction in Antarctica’s harsh climate 
• How they are using digital tools to enable successful project management 
• How the onsite team builds community and fosters connection  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.