Experiential learning and a digital-first mindset are keys to success for today’s students embarking on AECO careers. At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), the Construction Management program has embraced this by bringing together innovative technologies and real-world experiences into the curriculum from the very beginning. Cal Poly is not only preparing students for the realities of the construction industry but positioning them as future leaders.
“We want our students to start with the digital mindset as they develop their construction knowledge and insight,” says Jeong H. Woo, Department Head and Professor, Construction Management, Cal Poly. “Forma for Construction is a huge asset for our students as they take the Interdisciplinary Design Build Studio course.”
As part of the curriculum, students use Forma for Construction to understand site conditions, digital project delivery, and more. “We're able to not only replicate the job site in the classroom, but really bring the job site into the classroom,” adds Andrew Kline, Assistant Professor, Construction Management, Cal Poly.
The university’s $1.5 billion student housing initiative, which will deliver more than 4,000 beds across nine buildings, has also served as a living laboratory. Students fly drones weekly to generate progress reports, gaining hands-on exposure to project management. A major contractor for the project hired 12 interns from the program last summer, providing students with unparalleled, real-world experience.
For an Affordable Housing Competition, students further sharpened their collaborative and technical skills. Leveraging tools such as Autodesk Navisworks and Autodesk Revit, they could conduct clash detection, assess constructability, and test design changes in real time.
An important aspect of the competition is collaborating with government and industry. “It allows us to see what this newer generation wants to see in housing projects,” says Dalia Flores, Senior Project Manager of People’s Self-Help Housing, who has partnered with Cal Poly and its students to produce new affordable housing designs and plans as part of the contest.
–Jeong H. Woo, Department Head and Professor, Construction Management, Cal Poly
