The Trade Contractor’s Autodesk University Agenda Made Easy!

Autodesk University Agenda Made Easy!

In less than month, over 10,000 individuals will descend into Las Vegas for Autodesk University. Part of the experience also includes pre-conference workshops of Connect & Construct and Forge DevCon. Over the course of four days, there will be over 800 sessions. The seemingly endless options can be overwhelming. Don’t worry! eSUB knows what matters most to subcontractors. For that reason, we’ve developed this agenda to get the most out of the full Autodesk University experience.

Must see sessions for Trade Contractors during Connect and Construct!

While Autodesk University is all-encompassing across AEC and Manufacturing, Connect and Construct is dedicated strictly to construction technology.

Connect and Construct Keynote (8:00 AM – 10:00 AM) – Keynotes are always a must see at a conference. It sets the stage and outlines the vision and strategy for the future. The Connect and Construct is an inspiring session. It will include Autodesk’s leaders in its Construction division and customers that are blazing a trail in construction technology and project delivery.

Is This Thing On? How to Make Headlines Featuring Your Best People and Projects (10:30 AM – 12:00 PM) – While this class does not focus on construction technology, trade contractors will walk away with great insight on how to promote their project and businesses. Trade contractors work on amazing projects and have some of the hardest working employees in the industry. This session will help you learn to tell stories about your projects and successes to give you a competitive edge.

Site Efficiency with BIM 360: Featuring eSUB, Rhumbix, and ManufactON (1:30 PM – 3:00 PM) – This class will consist of three 30min presentations from BIM 360 Integration Partners eSUB, Rhumbix, and ManufactON. Trade contractors won’t want to miss this session because eSUB will highlight the unique role that trade contractors play in successful project delivery. eSUB will present on Integrated Labor Delivery: Leveraging Subcontractors from Design through the Construction Lifecycle.

Insider Tip: Don’t forget to spend some time in the Village. Most noteworthy, there will be a theater where several vendors will be conducting presentations. At 12:30, Benny Baltrotsky of eSUB will be giving a demonstration on the workflow between eSUB and BIM 360. There will also be an exhibit floor to check out the latest tech from the sponsors, and even areas to meet with Autodesk BIM 360 product experts.

Must see sessions for Trade Contractors during Forge DevCon!

Forge is the platform that makes BIM 360 integrations possible. If you have a pass to Connect and Construct, this pass entitles you access to Forge DevCon sessions as well.

DevCon Keynote (1:15 PM – 3:15 PM) – If you want to see what is possible through the Forge platform, this will be the session to attend. You don’t need to be a developer to get value. You have to have a vision and be excited about the possibilities. The keynote will discuss the strategy of Forge to benefit customers and partners. The most exciting part of the Forge keynote is to hear Wendy Rogers, CEO of eSUB Construction Software and advocate for trade contractors. Wendy will share how eSUB is leveraging the Forge platform to connect trade contractors directly with owners, designers, and general contractors to facilitate collaboration, communication, and transparency.

Using a Work Breakdown Structure and BIM 360 for Effective Labor Delivery and Control (3:45 PM – 4:15 PM) – Managing the risk in labor costs on a construction project is critical to the success of any contractor. Using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) based on the model during pre-construction helps ensure thoroughness of the design and budget, and serves as an early foundation for effective cost management. This establishes benchmarks against which to measure and verify during construction. Effective labor management requires documenting and testing against these benchmarks on what was installed and how efficiently. Construction projects can be complex and fast paced making it additionally challenging to collect accurate information about the status of a project.

Through the Forge Platform, contractors can leverage BIM 360, WBS, and an integrated labor delivery process to help measure productivity. In this presentation, we will discuss how this creates a vital link between design, estimating and project management and the many benefits of including this data within the model.

Insider Tip: The DevCon audience is a mix of application developers and construction business owners. The Forge DevCon sessions provide a peek into the possibilities of the platform. However, they may be a bit too technical. If the sessions dive into too much technical detail, the DevCon Expo is an excellent way to get an overview and demonstration of the possibilities without the technical jargon.

Must see sessions for Trade Contractors during Autodesk University!

Autodesk University has a wide variety of training sessions dedicated to Autodesk products. The list below includes some exciting industry talks.

How to Engage and Empower Millennials in the MEP Industry (Tuesday, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM) – By 2025, Millennials will comprise 75% of the workforce in the United States. This class will cover and talk about the United Association commitment to keep up with construction technology and engage Millennials with a curriculum that speaks to their strengths. We will cover the different ways the United Association keeps the Millennial apprentices and journeymen engaged by introducing BIM (Building Information Modeling), virtual design and construction (VDC), and virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into the curriculum.

MEP and Structural Fabrication Industry Session (Tuesday, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM) – This session will provide an update on Autodesk’s vision and strategy for MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) and structural fabrication, as well as a preview of some of the investments being made in our software solutions. It will also introduce some compelling customer successes, illustrating how the move to BIM (Building Information Modeling) has driven significant productivity enhancements.

Empowerment in the Field: Hard Hatted Woman (Tuesday, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM) – During this panel discussion, we will explore some of the challenges facing today’s women in construction trades, and discover what can be done to support them better. To inspire this dialogue, the session will begin with a preview of the much-anticipated documentary film, Hard Hatted Woman, and a brief introduction from the film’s director and producer, Lorien Barlow.

After the screening, we’ll dive into a lively panel discussion with Lorien and several of the tradeswomen featured in the film. Attendees will walk away from the panel: Inspired by these women’s stories More keenly aware of the aspirations they have, and the challenges they face Armed with ideas about how to advocate for these women, helping them gain the recognition they deserve so that they can achieve their full desired potential. To learn more about Lorien and her work on the documentary, Hard Hatted Woman, go to the film’s homepage here.

Case Study: Connecting Design and Construction with BIM 360 (Wednesday, 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM) – Who says trades and subcontractors are technologically averse? On the contrary, the usage of technology is relatively common among many subcontractors and proven to deliver high value to a project. Capitalizing on the BIM 360 platform with other technology such as field data collection and labor productivity tools increases information flow to facilitate better collaboration and transparency on the project. When subcontractors utilize construction technology, there is a decrease in RFIs, waste, schedule, and final construction costs.

This presentation will take a deep dive into the subcontractor-based workflow of several MEP contractors. We’ll explore how a subcontractor’s use of BIM 360 Docs software and eSUB has improved collaboration between the field and the office and provided a single source of truth into field productivity for transparency and communication between specialty trades, general contractors, and other key stakeholders in the design-build process.

Other must-see and must do activities for Trade Contractors during Autodesk University!

The Expo – With over 150 exhibitors and other interactive activities, the expo can be overwhelming. Therefore, we recommend spending just a few hours here each day. Go in with a targeted hit  list of vendors that you want to meet with or new technology to explore. If you are looking for a field data collections and operations tool, head over to the eSUB Booth B826.

Wellness – In construction, there is a big emphasis on promoting health and wellness to improve worker safety. Autodesk understands that importance. As a result, they are hosting a 5K Fun Run and Sunrise Yoga. This is a great way to energize your body and mind before a day full of learning.

Networking (and Partying) – One of the most significant values of conferences is the professional networking that occurs. Certainly, AU will be filled with lots of like-minded peers. Chances are that you will meet someone going through the same challenges and learn about new solutions. Because of that, don’t forget to spend some time at the different receptions. These include the Women at AU reception, Community Reception, AU Party and Farewell Happy Hour.

Can’t wait to see you in Las Vegas!