The first industry professionals to hold the newly-launched RICS BIM Manager accreditation could receive their certificates in January.
The RICS this week launched the new qualification to help individuals demonstrate their BIM capabilities to clients and potential employers.
The new accreditation is aimed at any quantity surveyor, project manager or construction professional who has at least five years of work experience in the industry, and has been personally involved in a BIM project.
Applicants will need to write a 2,000-word essay or case study detailing their personal involvement in the project, their capability, knowledge and understanding of the subject, as well as a critical reflection of the project.
In addition, they must demonstrate their BIM skills across three “core” competencies: BIM initiation, processes and collaboration and integration. There are also two optional competencies covering commercial and technical abilities.
The RICS says it has been developing the new standard for the past year, and will gather feedback during the first 12 months of the scheme’s operation. The Institution then intends to offer spin-off qualifications in BIM for facilities managers and geomatics professionals.
John Eynon FCIOB, a member of the CIOB’s BIM Group, welcomed the move, but said that it needed to be part of a joined-up, industry-wide approach. “People need some sort of badge or accreditation and clients need to have confidence in their ability, so there has got to be some sort of accreditation available.
“It’s a step in the right direction, but we need to see a pan-industry approach, with external accreditation by an industry grouping, such as the CIC.”
Eynon said he understood that the government’s BIM Task Group had been encouraging the industry’s various professional institutes, including the CIOB, to align their efforts on BIM accreditation.
In a statement, the BIM Task Group indicated that it expected other industry bodies to follow the RICS into the BIM accreditation market.
It said: “We are delighted to see such a proactive response to raising awareness and capability in support of the BIM agenda through the development of a BIM Manager Certification. We have published the Learning Outcomes Framework to encourage a consistent market and anticipate a number of providers filling this space. We applaud RICS’ early entry to this market.”
