Question 1: How can PROCORE help enhance the working lives of construction professionals across the region?
At Procore, we are committed to driving positive change within the construction industry by connecting all stakeholders with a single source of truth. We understand construction professionals face multiple challenges in their day-to-day work. Juggling multiple stakeholders, tracking down the latest status, looking for the latest information, managing tight project timelines, generating reports, and ensuring safety and financial stability has become overwhelming.
Unfortunately, the construction industry has slowly adopted new digital technologies that could ease these challenges. Many construction businesses still rely on manual processes such as paper or spreadsheets. This can hinder productivity, efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness.
One of the major barriers to technology adoption is a lack of understanding of its potential benefits. This is where Procore can help. Our partnership with the Philippine Constructors Association Inc. (PCA) helped to launch the Digital Transformation Program (DTP), designed to provide construction professionals with the necessary skills and tools to maximize technology’s potential.
Through this collaboration, we aim to share our best practices and knowledge of working more efficiently and productively within the industry.
Question 2: Being in an advanced technology era, how and what is the importance of upskilling the construction industry in APAC?
The labor shortage is one of the most persistent issues facing the industry, and technology alleviates this pressure by providing the industry with a way to build more efficiently. We are at an exciting juncture today where advances in construction technology are driving innovation and growth. To stay ahead of the curve, it is important for construction professionals to upskill and keep up-to-date with the latest technological advancements.
According to our latest benchmark report, How We Build Now, over 60% of APAC businesses recognize the importance of upskilling their employees to improve productivity and profitability. That’s the good news.
However, from what we can see, the current challenge is not a lack of technology in the industry, but rather a skills gap in utilizing the technological solutions out there. That is why upskilling is so important. In the long run, this can set them up to be competitive and relevant in a rapidly evolving industry.
I truly believe that education and a growth mindset will be key to unlocking the full potential of technology. By embracing continuous learning and development, construction professionals will be able to keep pace with the latest technological advances and use digital tools to achieve better outcomes.
Question 3: With the Digital Transformation Program, how crucial is harnessing construction technology given the region’s competitive construction environment?
Currently, there’s a massive opportunity for technology advancements to improve productivity, efficiency, and safety. For this reason, providing the necessary tools and training are critical in moving the entire industry forward to become a more productive, efficient and safe environment to work in.
We’re very excited to be a key player in accelerating the digital transformation journey for the construction workforce in the region. The DTP bridges the skills gap of the construction workforce to comprehensive training and education that will unlock the potential of technology. By taking advantage of the opportunities provided by digital transformation, construction companies can position themselves for success in the rapidly evolving and complex industry.
Question 4: Technology is constantly upgrading and being more advanced. How will this program ensure/help construction professionals stay updated with the latest skills needed?
Under the Memorandum of Understanding with the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA), we are committed to upskilling PCA members with Procore’s construction management software in 2023. An initial 150 professionals from member firms will be trained to use construction management platform technology over the next few months.
The PCA Digital Transformation Program is designed to future-proof the construction industry in the Philippines. Selected PCA members will receive complimentary access to the Procore platform, and will undergo technical workshops on various aspects of construction project management, quality control, safety, and more.
After concluding these workshops, these participants will then complete online certification courses which validate their knowledge and expertise in using the Procore construction management platform. This program will arm construction professionals with the tools and skills they need to remain competitive and relevant in the industry. From here, we hope to create a ripple effect that eventually creates a community of educated professionals that strive to encourage and continuously educate themselves on construction technology each and every day.
The construction industry is facing a skilled workforce shortage that cannot be remedied overnight. We believe this program will be critical as a first step in helping the industry to embark on a digital transformation journey and stay prepared with the latest skills to remain nimble and competitive in a rapidly changing industry.
Question 5: Can you talk about the headwinds that exist in today’s construction landscape?
As construction technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, digitalisation is critical now more than ever to tackle the headwinds of today. The challenges we face today are complex and require a concerted effort from all stakeholders. According to our latest How We Build Now benchmark report the construction industry in Asia Pacific faces several headwinds.
In the Philippines, the top barriers of digital transformation include the shift to change established practices and behaviors (44%) and overcoming concerns around data security (43%). These are followed by the costs involved to transform digitally, inadequate software solutions, and a lack of support from technology providers and vendors (38% each). More than three in 10 respondents (36%) also cited the challenge of breaking information and people out of ‘silos’.
Construction companies clearly recognize the need to embrace digitization to address these headwinds. The solution to this is digital transformation. With the right training and skills, construction professionals can more effectively harness these cutting-edge technologies to build a better future for the industry.
Question 6: What does PROCORE aim to achieve with the launch of the Digital Transformation Program?
Our vision here at Procore is to improve the lives of everyone in construction and our goal is to partner with and help the construction industry keep pace with the changing technological landscape. We are committed to making a positive impact on the construction workforce and believe in creating a culture of continuous upskilling by training individuals to become qualified to train others. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the positive transformation that DTP will bring to the industry in the Philippines.
