Education and Training for Emerging Technology Adoption and Expertise: Insights from Australian Construction

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry has significant potential to improve productivity, quality, and sustainability of its projects through emerging digital technologies. Advances in technology and the complexity of what new graduates need to learn have resulted in persistent training gaps and have highlighted new needs to be addressed in education. One of the new needs is the level of learners’ awareness of new technologies and their adoption practices. This research examines how current education and training practices in the selected sample of the Australian AEC sector support or hinder the development of digital capabilities. The set of technologies considered in this study focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Information Modelling (BIM), Digital Twins (DTs), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), and the Internet of Things (IoT). A mixed-method design integrates a structured survey of industry professionals and students, along with semi-structured interviews of industry and academic stakeholders, to evaluate exposure, self-rated capability, training participation, organisational support, and perceptions of graduate preparedness. Findings show comparatively higher maturity in BIM, but limited capability in other technologies, inconsistent formal training, and barriers linked to time, cost, organisational priorities, and rapid technological change. Qualitative findings and interpretation of preparedness-related survey responses indicate that stakeholders place greater value on transferable, interdisciplinary digital competencies than on narrow tool-specific proficiency. The research delivers statistically robust findings and actionable recommendations that address the identified barriers and promote the development of a skilled workforce in the AEC industry.