Construction 4.0: Understanding and Awareness for Master’s Level Students

Construction 4.0 refers to the integration of automation, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the construction industry, which has changed traditional construction practices. MSc courses play a crucial role in developing the next generation of leaders within the construction industry by equipping graduates of these courses with advanced technical, managerial, and strategic skills, including the arrival of Construction 4.0. As future professionals and construction industry leaders, it is necessary to identify the current level of awareness and understanding of Construction 4.0 amongst master’s level students. As such, this paper studies these areas to help identify the gaps in education and training requirements—essential for matching academic programs with industry needs. Through the use of a survey-based approach with 112 MSc students on various Construction Management courses, a series of revealing results were obtained. The results presented herein indicate that there is a shared definition of what constitutes Construction 4.0 amongst engineering management students. However, while they are relatively aware of Construction 4.0 technologies, they do not differentiate strongly between Industry 4.0 and Construction 4.0. Therein, they are ambivalent as to the role of Education 4.0 in improving this situation. Key to this is the requirement to keep up with industry needs. The lack of application of Construction 4.0 means students lack the necessary ‘practical skills’ to implement innovations on real construction sites. Students advocated for more hands-on training, industry-linked projects, and guest lectures within the curriculum, alongside developing the essential skills of critical thinking and problem-solving. Changes in the curricula are suggested, achievable through readily existing 4.0 Frameworks.