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Industry will have to embrace more innovation in order to appeal to younger workers.Photo:m The Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Editor’s note: The following is a lightly edited version of article submitted by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
MILWAUKEE - Construction has often been considered one of the last industries to embrace technology. That is starting to change, however, as construction companies look for new ways to change the mindset of those working at the job site.
Enter the younger generation, otherwise known as millennials. They have grown up with apps and solutions to solve just about any system problem that arises.
As the industry evolves, it will have to embrace more innovation in order to entice and appeal to millennials — and those even younger.
Some emerging technologies that millennials appear comfortable with that they might leverage on the job site include the following:
• drones, • artificial Intelligence, • augmented reality/virtual reality, • smartphone apps, • tablets, and • wearable devices.
Fresh thinking
“Millennials have grown up attached to technology. Job sites today are so far removed from what millennials have come to expect in their daily lives,” says Chad Hollingsworth, cofounder and president of Triax Technologies. “They expect new solutions to do their job better, to get rid of manual processes.”
They aren’t afraid of innovations, and they are willing to try things out and if it doesn’t work, they find a newer, better solution that will.
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, more 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 job site,” says Paul Gomori, application engineering manager with JCA Electronics.
Moving into the future
There are advantages to having more software and devices on the job site besides attracting a younger workforce.
It boils down to improvements in efficiency and productivity compared to older manual processes, says Barry Peyton, product manager with 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,” Hollingsworth says. “It is something that (workers) can use to develop their skills, streamline daily tasks, and ultimately become better at their jobs.”
The attitude and outlook that millennials have toward their lives and jobs can help entice them to work in the construction field. Hollingsworth says, “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?
For more industry trends, check out AEM’s ConExpo-Con/Agg 365 initiative at http://www.conexpoconagg.com/subscribe/.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has more than 950 member companies, including dozens of makers of service trucks and related accessories.