Despite the benefits of building information modelling (BIM), South Africa's project management industry has been slow to integrate it, largely owing to a skills gap and siloed disciplines within the built environment, says independent construction project management body Association of Construction Project Managers (ACPM) CEO Nomvula Rakolote.

BIM combines real-time collaboration, data-driven decision-making and intelligent 3D modelling to plan, design and execute projects with greater accuracy, enhancing coordination, scheduling, budgeting and risk management.

She says the local industry’s fragmented, document-driven and siloed culture contrasts with the environment needed to facilitate BIM adoption, which requires early collaboration, shared models, transparent information flow and cross-disciplinary coordination.

"That is a fundamentally different way of working and it challenges deeply entrenched practices," she says.

Rakolote argues that another significant barrier is the skills and capacity gap. In a survey conducted by ACPM and Trident Engineering Institute, it was found that varying BIM literacy levels among its membership impact BIM adoption.

“The findings were sobering. Professionals with 15, 16, even 17 years of experience were describing themselves as being in the early stages of BIM adoption,” says Rakolote.

While local universities have begun integrating BIM into existing degree modules, Trident and the ACPM sought to offer an approachable avenue to BIM that would meet the needs of new entrants as well as seasoned professionals in an accessible, affordable and professionally recognised way.

To accelerate BIM adoption, ACPM and Trident launched a BIM Masterclass Series last year, equipping professionals with modern, technology-enabled project delivery skills.

Recognising that Trident's eight-week courses, diplomas and degrees “might not be the right entry point for many professionals”, ACPM and Trident collaborated to develop its masterclass series.

Drawing on Trident's 23 short learning courses, ACPM and Trident restructured the content into focused modules corresponding to Trident's 23 eight-week short learning courses, entailing an introductory module delivered as a five-hour continuing professional development (CPD) masterclass.

“The survey had made it clear that people were at very different stages of BIM knowledge and application, so a modular, accessible entry point made far more sense,” Rakolote says, adding that five-hour sessions are more manageable for working professionals.

She emphasises that there are no prerequisite requirements to attend a masterclass, enabling participants to enter at whichever session is most relevant to them. Participants can also access recordings of previous masterclasses through Trident's Learning Management System (LMS).

“The system is set up so that participants cannot fast-forward, and before receiving their digital certificate they must answer five CPD-required questions, ensuring genuine engagement with the content,” Rakolote explains, emphasising that the course goes beyond information-sharing.

During the session, participants receive practical resources, including links to downloadable libraries and digital tools relevant to the topic,  which they can apply directly in their workplace.

Upon completion, participants receive a digital certificate issued through Privy Seal, carrying five CPD credits. These certificates, combined with each participant's profile on Trident's LMS, ensure that CPD records are accurate, accessible and verifiable without requiring participants to manually track or submit documentation, Rakolote explains.

The masterclasses are recognised by industry associations including the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions, the Engineering Council of South Africa and the South African Council for the Architectural Profession as well as the South African Council of Quantity Surveyors for discipline-specific BIM Masterclasses.

Stackable Learning
The masterclasses form part of Trident’s stackable model, connecting to the broader learning pathway.

The BIM Masterclass serves as an entry point, addressing an immediate need where participants can earn CPD hours and a recognised certificate without having to complete the longer courses, aiding accessibility, affordability and flexibility.

As each masterclass feeds into a corresponding eight-week short learning programme, with attendance digitally recorded on the participant's profile, when participants enrol in an eight-week short course, the system automatically recognises their prior attendance, credits them for that module and applies a fee reduction.

Completing a selection of short courses leads to Trident’s diploma programme in either project management or facilities management, allowing participants to choose a diploma based on their professional focus and workplace needs.

“The masterclasses they've already attended help inform that decision, since each session offers tools and self-assessment links to evaluate where their organisation currently sits on the BIM adoption curve,” Rakolote adds.

From the diploma, participants can progress to Trident’s degree programme, which carries Department of Higher Education accreditation, allowing participants to further their specialisation in BIM Management or Facilities Management.

“The stackable model we've built is designed to accommodate practitioners at every level of adoption, providing recognised CPD at every step and building capacity progressively,” Rakolote concludes.