Written by High-performing teams — whether in sport or construction — rely on preparation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
In this article, Tomas Karlsson explores how the principles that drive success in elite sport can also strengthen performance across the AECO sector. Through examples from the Autodesk Learning Partner network, the BIM Realities report shows how investing in people, skills, and structured training can transform productivity, collaboration, and project outcomes.
Sporting endeavour: a metaphor for performance built on people and preparation
Over the last couple of weeks, many sport fans – and armchair athletes – around the world have tuned into the Milan-Cortina winter games. As a Swede, I’ve enjoyed watching what are common family endeavours, such as cross-country skiing, translate into medal success.
Alongside the glow of national pride, it made me reflect on how the difference between victory and defeat isn’t just about raw talent. Preparation, adaptability, and teamwork under pressure are often what make the difference. Across events including skiathlon, speed skating and snowboard halfpipe, athletes redefined what elite performance looks like through dedication, smart training, and collaboration.
So, what can we take from the pinnacle of sporting endeavour to what we do in the AECO sector?
Just as athletes rely on structured training, data-driven preparation, and effective teamwork to perform on the biggest stage, AECO organisations must also invest in people and their skills to compete for and deliver complex projects. When teams are equipped with structured upskilling, robust digital workflows, and practical hands-on training, they become more productive, effective, and efficient.
Throughout our BIM Realities report, we share examples of this people-led approach. The stories from representatives in the Autodesk Learning Partner network show how, by focusing on people first, AECO organisations can transform productivity, collaboration, and project outcomes.
Collaborating for team and project success
At a sporting level, success is rarely the result of individual brilliance alone. Behind every athlete is a coordinated team of coaches, analysts, technicians, and medical staff, all working from the same plan and the same performance data.
AECO projects work in much the same way. Design, engineering, and construction teams must operate as one, sometimes across different organisations and locations. Project success depends on competence, coordination across disciplines, and the ability to adapt in real time.
This is where BIM plays a critical role. Shared digital models provide a common language, allowing different disciplines to coordinate decisions, resolve issues earlier, and understand the impact of their work on others.
Structured upskilling, aligned digital workflows, and practical training ensure teams can collaborate through the model rather than around it. By equipping them to work confidently in connected BIM environments, friction is reduced, productivity is improved, and complex projects are delivered with greater certainty.
Inspiring future generations: building the pipeline
Major sporting events often inspire people to take up sporting pursuits. Just as young athletes dream of standing on the podium, the AECO sector has a responsibility to inspire future and diverse talent.
Autodesk Learning Partners around the world are helping to do just that.
One example is the Build4Skills programme, which equips young women from Kenyan TVET institutions with industry-relevant digital skills.
The Build4Skills programme has been transformative in equipping young women with critical digital skills for the AEC industry. By integrating practical training with industry-standard software and real-world experience, we are not only preparing students for the workforce but also upskilling TVET trainers to ensure sustainable knowledge transfer. – Ruchika Gajjar, HiCAD
Another example comes from Modena Design Centres in South Africa. By introducing learners to digital design early, Modena is helping bridge the gap between education and industry and equipping the next generation of engineers, designers, and technicians with the skills and confidence to thrive.
Early engagement with digital tools like CAD and Revit allows learners to visualise, model and problem-solve in ways that mirror real industry environments. This not only accelerates their technical proficiency but also instils the mindset needed for effective participation in BIM processes. – Karin Smith, Modena
By creating pathways for early careers, apprenticeships, and structured learning programmes, organisations can show young talent that construction and engineering are dynamic, purposeful, and technologically advanced. This helps build the workforce of tomorrow while fostering diversity, innovation, and long-term resilience across the industry.
Building training ecosystems: scaling capability
As someone involved in the training sector, I’m always curious about how national sporting organisations develop coaching structures that can deliver success at scale. Typically, they build on expertise, often with former athletes becoming coaches themselves, and develop structured frameworks to guide training and performance.
Let’s apply that thinking to the AECO sector.
Instructors play a critical role. They bring depth of knowledge and real-world experience. At Line Practic in Kazakhstan, for example, all instructors are practicing professionals who continue to work on live projects while also delivering training. This ensures course content reflects the latest industry needs rather than static curricula.
Our training is being constantly adapted. Each new programme launch takes into account the latest changes in the market. We structure the training in a way that ensures learners develop the skills needed to be fully prepared for real work as soon as they complete the course. – Dinara Aitbayeva, Line Practic
This practical experience is essential for anyone entering a BIM-enabled workplace. Integrating into a coordinated BIM team requires not only technical knowledge but also a shared understanding of processes, standards, and collaboration.
Across the sector, train-the-trainer models are helping scale capability.
By equipping instructors or master trainers with expertise in digital construction tools and methods, knowledge can be rapidly cascaded to students and professional peers. This creates a multiplying effect that strengthens the entire ecosystem and builds sustainable training infrastructure.
In Ethiopia, CMI-BIM Training Center has already trained 65 industry professionals, university lecturers, and members of professional associations through a train-the-trainer programme.
Similarly, the model is strengthening capacity in Nigeria through Autodesk Learning Partner Gribs Integrated Services, where participants cascade their learning to colleagues across institutions and training networks.
Parallels between sport and the AECO sector
Just as athletes rely on structured training, expert coaching, and consistent feedback to convert potential into podium-level performance, AECO professionals perform best when they are supported with the right skills, tools, and collaborative frameworks.
Digital workflows like BIM — combined with practical, hands-on training — act as the coaching and playbook of the construction world. They give teams the insight and confidence to make decisions, coordinate effectively, and adapt when unexpected challenges arise.
Investing in people is not a one-off task. It is a continuous process built around expertise, collaboration, and shared learning.
High-performing organisations create environments where mentorship, training, and skill development are embedded into daily practice. Just as sports teams rely on both individual discipline and collective strength, organisations that cultivate human capability consistently turn potential into performance — unlocking productivity, resilience, and innovation across every project.
Explore BIM Realities
Discover how Autodesk Learning Partners around the world are building BIM capability through training, collaboration, and innovation.
About the Author:
Tomas Karlsson
Head of Channel Services, KnowledgePoint
Tomas oversees the management of outsourced extended enterprise learning programmes, recruiting and supporting a global network of training providers on behalf of organisations including Autodesk.