| |December 20209A successful amalgamation of edtech are online courses offering specialized, cost-effective and self-paced education to the built environment sector which must be based on global competency-led curriculum Edtech is set to change the fu-ture of traditional education in India. Low-cost and high-speed internet under PM Narendra Modi's "Digital India" initiative has made it possible for it to reach a wider and vast spec-trum of the society. Edtech will make knowledge accessible to those stu-dents in many remote parts of India who still must travel for long distanc-es to reach their schools or colleges. Online learning is not restrained by location or geography and has re-moved all limitations imposed by the traditional education system. Tech-nology enabled education can help even those who are yet to see a school and those who are constrained by time and money.In a world where 3D houses are being printed and drones are being used for surveying, technology has transformed the built environment sector comprising of real estate, construction and infrastructure de-velopment globally. Groundbreak-ing technologies like Artificial Intel-ligence, Virtual Reality, Proptech and 3D printing are making signifi-cant impact in terms of controlling costs, ensuring safety and managing project timelines effectively. The In-dian market, however has a long way to go. We are unwilling and hesitant to give way to new technologies. We continue to face challenges related to shortage of skilled and competent manpower. There is a lack of knowl-edge and skills on how to operate latest technologies related to the sec-tor. These factors are not conducive to the growth of the sector. The in-dustry demands constant upskilling and professionals with techno-man-agerial skills. With Foreign Direct Investment and regulatory reforms, new technologies are coming to the sector every day, but is our man-power prepared for it? What are we doing to create a pool of talent to act as a feeder to the industry?Technology will, in due course, replace manual intervention in con-struction and real estate. It is already carrying out tasks which were consid-ered too complex and were reliant on human intuition. If we do not want technology to make us redundant, we need to be agile and acquire knowl-edge. Learning & Development programs can help us stay updated with technology and work together with it.The solution lies in ensuring that education keeps pace with technol-ogy and educational technology start-ups could definitely be the an-swer. To help these changes happen, education technology can provide a two-pronged solution ­ upskilling existing manpower to keep pace with changing times and creating a stream of competent techno managers to meet the skill shortage.A successful amalgamation of ed-tech are online courses offering spe-cialized, cost-effective and self-paced education to the built environment sector which must be based on global competency-led curriculum. Employ-ees in the sector who were unable to complete a degree due to time, fam-ily commitments or financial con-straints get opportunities to upgrade their knowledge and skills and grow in their career through this medium. These courses are covered through Blended Learning, Distance Learn-ing, Web classes and E- learning. These online programs can pro-vide a solid foundation in the most recent techniques and concepts like Construction Project Management, Quantity Surveying, Corporate Real Estate & Facilities Management, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Real Estate Management, Real Estate Sales & Marketing and Real Estate Valuation ­ all of which are integral and key aspects of certain specialized facets of real estate and construction businesses. They help learners adapt to a rapidly changing future with requisite skills to thrive in the industry. Edtech can act as an en-abler in providing industry- led spe-cific education catering to the needs of the sector which includes research and best practice guidance. For better or worse, the Built Environment sector has been im-pacted with the emergence of new technology. In times to come, pos-sessing skills necessary to manage and use new technology will be a crucial `game changer' in determining the success of a business. Ultimately, it is not technology that will disrupt the industry, but a business' ability to ac-cept or adapt to it. The sector needs to look at the bigger picture and embrace change and innovation. To continue to be considered as relevant and as a thought leader, we must be at the forefront of groundbreaking and disruptive new technologies. We need to address the changing tech-nology landscape by accelerating our ability to transform and deliver an ex-perience which is at par with global standards and for all this to happen learning and acquiring new skills through new mediums is essential.
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