Northumbria University is set to run government-funded boot camps to improve digital skills in construction.
The two 16-week-long courses will focus on data science and advanced digital model authoring and manipulation.
The so-called Skills Boot Camps are part of the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs, and are overseen by the Institute of Coding (IoC), a collaborative national consortium of industry, educators and outreach providers that are working together to respond to the UK’s digital skills gap through the delivery of employer-led digital skills education.
Northumbria’s Skills Bootcamp in Construction Data Scientist course is targeted at those working within the construction industry, with a focus on digital construction. The Skills Bootcamps will teach data science technologies and techniques, covering the following subjects:
- the role of coding in the construction industry
- understanding BIM
- big data analytics, machine learning
- internet of things, blockchain
- AI algorithms, neural network learning
Northumbria’s Skills Bootcamp in Software (Engineering/Architectural Technician Plus) course is aimed at architects, engineers, technicians, technologists, and anyone interested in advanced digital model authoring and manipulation. It will cover:
- understanding BIM
- industry-specific software training
- getting under the skin – opening up the SDK
- introducing Dynamo and Python
- workforce Skills Training – presentation skills, employability skills, etc
Both courses will also focus on presentation skills, case study development and training, employability skills, and interview technique.
They will take place online initially and will include a mixture of pre-recorded instructional material and timetabled live sessions.
Together with the IoC, Northumbria will ensure that each step of the Skills Bootcamp journey is high-quality and tailored to meet the needs of employers and those looking to upskill to boost their employability, the university said.
Professor Becky Strachan, deputy pro vice-chancellor for the Faculty of Engineering and Environment at Northumbria University, added: “These bootcamps bring together our expertise at Northumbria in digital technologies and the built environment and build on our strong partnerships in the region and across the UK around digital construction. We are looking forward to seeing the tangible benefits that participants and employers will reap from this great skills initiative.”
The Northumbria University Skills Bootcamps will be delivered by BIM training provider White Frog.
