**1. Introduction**

The Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology is currently the main digital support to the elaboration of diverse construction activities. A BIM project is developed over a technological platform, in which all experts create, manipulate and add the information that is required and generated in the context of the work of each professional involved [1]. In this process, the methodology supports the development of different components of the project, allows adequate interoperability between specific systems related to various types of analysis or simulation, facilitates the tasks of budgeting, construction, maintenance and management and controls the procedure for a possible demolition [2].

The BIM concept began to be implemented in the construction industry at the present century as an immersive innovation in the sector supported in advanced

technology. Its benefits were quickly recognized, reflected in the quality of the developed projects, based on effective process integration and clear collaboration between partners related to the different specialties intrinsic to construction [3]. BIM computational tools are a strong support for the improvement of different disciplines in a project, enabling their parametric modeling and easy access to all the information concentrated in the BIM model, created along the elaboration of a project.

In all areas of the construction activity, the construction owner, designers, builders and managers have verified the benefits of adopting BIM methodology. This fact has led to its growing acceptance, at a global level and in an exponential way, leading government entities to establish rules of action and mandatory implementation dates in public construction [4]. In addition, the school has the mission, essential in society, to train future engineers with the fundamental teachings related to different issues in the field of construction, and should also be focused on the technological innovations that can be applied in the sector. Naturally, construction-related companies follow this perspective, encouraging professionals to seek training actions that can add to professionals the BIM knowledge required in a globalized industrial world, increasingly competitive.

To stay up-to-day in business, companies are urged to recruit professionals that demand brand new knowledge and skillsets. BIM education learning regarding the concept, range of application and tools available is required in the activity. This necessity has led, recently, technical universities to introduce this innovative subject using emerging technologies in the graduate curricula and in complementary programmes aimed at construction professionals [5]. The great interest in teaching BIM within technical academies has been noted in the organization of specialization courses and workshops, aimed at professionals of the architecture and engineering sectors. The applicability range of BIM interferes with several disciplines, in Civil Engineering degree, from technical drawing and modeling issues to structural analyses and construction planning. So BIM topic must be understood by all teachers in order to ability each one to teach their specific sciences using some capacities of the available BIM tools. The main objective of the course is essentially to empower training and knowledge participants that are useful to them in their activity. The professionals feel the necessity to update their skills in BIM, and the present course contributes in a positive way to this training.

A short course, presented in March of 2022, includes the methodological concepts and a wide range of the applicability in all sectors inherent to the development of projects using BIM platforms. The text includes the contents of the course and its main objectives. The organizational structure of the course introduces the underlying fundaments of the methodology, such as parametric modeling and interoperability, and presents the scope of the applicability of BIM. The most recent research achievement in BIM applications was resumed and presented to the professional course participants.

### **2. BIM education**

Currently, the attention of Civil Engineering education is oriented to BIM, and it is up to the school, as the main trainer of the future engineer, to introduce this theme, as a concept that should be transmitted, contributing to support all new subjects, included in the curriculum, on a BIM-based digital support. The requirement of BIM skills in the sector has imposed an educational maturity of alert in relation to its need in society, which has led to a progressive adaptation of the curricula taught [6].

#### *BIM Academic Training Course to Enhance Construction Professional's Skills DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105221*

The most recent demonstration of the benefit inherent to the use of the BIM methodology has been registered in the various sectors, motivating designers and managers to acquire knowledge related to the concept and scope of its applicability. Professionals from all sectors are interested in knowing the BIM concept and the scope of its applicability, and technical schools organize BIM training activities to help to add knowledge and competitiveness to industry professionals.

The schools have been contributing positively to the update of knowledge of professionals in the sector, through the organization of BIM training courses, in accordance with the interest and expectation expressed by the offices and public entities. Industry and the school are partners in finding the best strategy for establishing effective ways of teaching useful to the community. In Europe, BIM training has been essentially introduced into postgraduate studies as curricular modules, disciplines or specialization courses. In Ref. universities, in Spain, Switzerland, Portugal and Italy, the curricular research points to a relatively rapid assimilation in engineering training:


BIM is one of the most advanced methodologies applied in architecture and civil engineering in recent years; therefore, it becomes important to promote its integration into university education. The construction industry has been demanded from schools an offer aimed the construction professions, requiring different perspectives of training. Engineers and architects recognize that in a globalized world, to perform with quality and competence their activity, the use of BIM platforms is a priority. The adoption of BIM in the sector leads to the achievement of better products and the establishment of more competitive projects. Following this, several modules, workshops and short courses have been offered to the professionals:

