Implementing construction and real estate IT education: Needs and Strategy

Information Technology (IT) has a profound effect on modern society. In the construction and real estate industry, the advent of IT has changed the way we design, build and manage buildings. To this end, the skill base of existing professionals will have to change. This paper aims to review the current IT needs of the construction and real estate industry through a survey of 70 construction and real estate firms in Singapore. It is proposed that in the short term, existing construction and real estate educators should incorporate more relevant IT modules in their syllabi. Continuing professional development in the area of IT applications is also needed for the professionals. In the longer term, a new Construction and Real Estate IT course is needed to meet the future IT needs of the construction and real estate industry.