Currently a section engineer but I’m working agency so fairly flexible at what I do.

Talking to the project director on the project and I’ve decided that I’m going to learn BIM.

Does anyone use it, or know any good courses to go on it. I’m currently studying an part time MSC to top up my first degree but I’m thinking of switching to an MSC in BIM

Any advice

I self taught revit mep and a bit of architectural with the help of you tube and infinite skills video on my iPad. Built afew models from scratch and then loaded them with mep disciplines… Even put a bit of structural in. Still very novice to be fair but it was a good starter for 10. I think the learn bim in 3 day courses are not worth the money as you will get to there standard with a few vids and plenty of messing around on it. The forums are pretty helpful also when you get stuck. As for msc standard courses I couldn’t say?

I’ve colleagues who are involved with this, although i don’t know about it other that it is getting lots of positive attention from senior management so that must mean it is a growth area:

BIM Academy – http://collab.northumbria.ac.uk/bim2/
MSc – http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/?view=CourseDetail&code=DTFBMM6

Level 2 BIM will be a requirement on all centrally purchased government projects from 2016 onwards. Private sector is likely to follow suite so it deserves attention.

Currently in its ‘infancy’in the UK. As such, there’s no real definition.

On a side note, I started my MSc in BIM and Integrated Design today 🙂

Probably worth a look

I work as a consulting civil engineer, and I say ignore peripheral tosh and get on with some real work!

Taking the lead from the government, tsk. Engineers should be leading the government, the world would be a better place if that was the arrangement.

Over and out!

I have a BIM strategy document to complete for treasury open right now. That’s why I’m typing 😥 this..

I’ve just done quite a large a BIM level 2 design project, as far as I can see (as much as I hate to say it) it requires a colocated office to really get the benefits as people in different disciplines, working for different organisations, working in different offices still won’t talk to each other and work at different speeds, whereas if you are all together you can grab them and get potential issues sorted before they become problems.
The trouble on big colocated projects is that it is very easy to become disassociated from your own organisation.

Have a look at Salford, I’ve met some of the Academic staff running the course and they’re v knowledgable.

Northumberland looks like a good option + lots of folks involved in research / industry

slackman99 where are you doing your BIM course.

Salford, so happy to see the above recommendation!

I would say it’s worth narrowing down what you want to use it for, design, procurement/quants, health and safety, programming, facilities management etc

It will be for health and saftey and programming. I’m very much a site based kinda guy, but I’m interestd in programming and lean construction.

The whole point of BIM is it’s about using the same data for everything, not keeping it in separate islands. Even if you’re only interested in one use, you need to understand the whole if you’re going to get the benefit.

The other point to consider is that BIM is a tool, like a word processor, not a quick way to do the engineering. It frees you up from the data handling, so that you can focus on the value added stuff, but BIM itself isn’t a core skill (unless you get into software design and data management / optimisation)