The only way to tackle the challenges of the construction industry

Tudásépítő Team has entered into a cooperation with Hilti's Hungarian subsidiary: the relationship with the multinational company was launched with a professional day in Budapest in October. As previously reported in several articles, Tudásépítő Team (TT) is a dual training centre created by Bayer Construct Zrt., KÉSZ Csoport and Market Építő Zrt., which was developed by the three nationally-owned construction companies in an industry partnership, using their own resources.

At the Tudásépítő Team training centre on the Kopaszi dam, programmes were held at five stations throughout the day: the TT teachers, in cooperation with Hilti Hungária Kft. experts, conducted the thematic training sessions, partly within the framework of the Tools4Schools programme. On the professional day, we talked to Áron Tóth, CEO of Tudásépítő Team, László Szalados, Deputy Technical CEO of KÉSZ Csoport and member of the Tudásépítő Team Board of Directors, and Miklós Seres, Managing Director of Hilti Hungária Kft., about the main elements of the cooperation, as well as about the TT's achievements so far and future goals.

They can create value during their studies

Áron Tóth, head of Tudásépítő Team, pointed out that the cooperation with Hilton is one of the joint projects with several companies. "These are aimed at joint thinking and joint development," said Áron Tóth. One of the main elements of the project under discussion is that Hilti will provide machines for use by the Tudásépítő Team students to practice with during the course of their education, as part of the Tools4Schools programme. "In addition, we are also considering, among other things, to provide suggestions for future Hilti developments by trying out and live testing the new products. In short, we want to put not only the best machines and tools in the hands of our students, but also the opportunity to create value during their studies."

He stressed that the aim of the practical day is not only to familiarise students with the opportunities offered by Hilti: "This is the first time our professionals can work together; we expect a lot from initiatives like this."

Preparations are underway for the first year group

He also said that 100 of their students were allowed to participate in the professional day on Friday. "At the same time, the number of students employed during the year is close to 200 in the three grades. And with students admitted in the summer on a block system, we can talk about double that."

On the situation of Tudásépítő Team, he also said that they currently have a live partnership with 6 schools through 3 centres, but they would like to expand this further in the near future. "In addition to all this, we will also be taking exams this year: we want to prove ourselves in preparing our first cohort of examiners this year."

A living environment of active investment helps education

Áron Tóth said that the biggest opportunity for the students is also the biggest challenge of the TT: "This is where students get their first work experience, where they have to learn to operate in a different framework than they were used to."

The first experience is also helped by the fact that the Tudásépítő Team training centre is currently operating on an active project at the Kopaszi dam, BudaPart construction site. "Thanks to this, not only do we talk to the students about live work situations, but they move around in such an environment all day long, seeing and experiencing the conditions. It's a big advantage that they can more easily understand the logic of moving and working on a project like this when there is live work going on outside the fence that they are just getting ready for. Nevertheless, we believe that we are making the most of the opportunities: in a pleasant environment, in professional conditions, the students can prepare for the deployment and the trials in school."

They also try to offer opportunities to students who are discouraged in the profession

The CEO also mentioned the machines available to the students. "We try to teach all trades with the most reliable machines, but it's also important to show the range of machines available so that students can experience what the different quality options are like in practice. In the case of HILTI, we have general-purpose and specialised machines for 5 trades, but we plan to continuously upgrade the fleet of machines we manage as needs arise."

In conclusion, he stressed that the construction industry is undergoing major and important changes in both the use of materials and technology. "We are already seeing these changes thanks to the founding companies, but if we make them more visible, we believe that young people will be more likely to choose construction as a career. We believe we have an important role to play in terms of career guidance." At the same time, they also think about those who have already made it in the sector but have stalled for some reason: "We want to inform those who are discouraged in their profession about other careers available within the construction industry, so that they can stay in the industry even if they didn't choose the most suitable one for them at first."

This year, around a hundred students have been given real-life practice with the KÉSZ Csoport

László Szalados, Deputy Chief Technical Officer of KÉSZ Csoport, told us that the group has been actively and intensively cooperating with Tudásépítő Team and its co-owners for two years now. "This cooperation includes both financial support and continuous development of the activity," said a member of the Tudásépítő Team Board of Directors.

In response to our question, he said that the success of the TT's dual training programme is partly due to the fact that this year more than 60 civil engineering and building services technicians and 36 construction and building services engineering apprentices have been given real work experience. "It's important to note that this is still an investment phase in all respects, but we are confident that in the long term all our efforts will pay off. There's no question that we and the whole sector need a professional education background, because we have a lot of work to do in terms of human capital development."

The challenges of digitalisation, BIM and the knowledge gap can only be tackled in this way

Turning to future directions, he explained that the next step for Tudásépítő Team as a sector training centre is a major infrastructure upgrade. "However, this will also require sector management support," he stressed. "An important step for the industry's competitiveness is the establishment of regionally developed sector training bases similar to those in Germany, Austria or Switzerland."

The importance of establishing bases was justified by the leader. "On the one hand, we ensure the acquisition of up-to-date knowledge in basic vocational training and intensive cooperation with companies. On the other hand, we are creating opportunities for the market and for those working in the sector to retrain and upskill. With the digitalisation of the sector, the BIM transformation and the current knowledge gap in the sector, we believe this is the only way forward." He concluded by saying that there are exemplary relationships in the cooperation with vocational training institutions and technical colleges, but there is absolutely room for improvement in institutional cooperation.

A company that has increased its asset recycling rate ninefold

We also asked the Managing Director of Hilti Hungária Kft. about the support for the Tudásépítő Team's objectives at the trade day. Miklós Seres pointed to Hilti Hungária's strategy as the main factor leading to the collaboration. In this particular corporate strategy, sustainability and social responsibility have become increasingly prominent in recent years. "Our goal is to make the construction industry a better place through sustainability. As well as improving our existing activities, we are making sure that our customers see us as an even more environmentally friendly partner."

He gave two examples of their various CO2 reduction measures: the purchase of green energy in 100% and the gradual replacement of the car fleet with electric or hybrid vehicles. "We are also proud of our recycling efforts: in 2022, we managed to significantly increase both the reuse rate of our assets (from 2 to 18%) and the recycled content of our packaging."

Promoting sustainability and vocational training at the same time

He stressed that through their fleet management service, their customers can increase their efficiency and contribute to a greener future. "We can prevent unnecessary machinery purchases through the lease contract and, after the 4-year term, when our machines are returned to us, we want to give a second life to assets that are still in perfect working order through a new approach to reuse and recycling of parts."

This is the idea behind the "Tools 4 Schools" initiative. "Through the programme, we support vocational schools in the construction industry, including Tudásépítő Team, by donating well-functioning, second-hand machinery to be incorporated into their training courses, raising the professional standard of their teaching. I believe that in order to improve the construction industry, it is essential to provide the right training for the next generation, using professional machines."

Feedback from the Tudásépítő Team is continuously collected

The CEO's key message was that the students, and at the same time the Knowledge Builder trainers, would experience first-hand the operation of their machines and the health, safety and user benefits of using them, under the guidance of qualified Hilti colleagues. "This is why we have taken the initiative to organise a theory-based, practice-focused professional day in collaboration with Tudásépítő Team. Following the successful event in October, we are of course ready to continue in the future to help students develop and provide maximum support in learning the right applications and machine usage."

He said they are in constant contact with Tudásépítő Team, gathering feedback on the usability of their machines and their suitability for use in educational curricula. "This means that we have the flexibility to deal with future needs, such as increasing staff numbers or bringing in additional trades. We also provide the opportunity to use Hilti tooling, as the added value in our machines is even more striking with our excellent tools."

Digitalisation could mean the end of traditional solutions

The head of Hilti Hungária concluded the interview with a sectoral outlook. "The construction industry will see a great increase in efficiency in the coming years through various digital solutions, which could mean the end of traditional applications. Hilti has always been a pioneer in the introduction and application of the latest technologies, which our customers have appreciated for more than 50 years, also in the Hungarian market. As technology evolves, so do the expectations of future construction professionals, so must the impact of the industry on the environment, software design efficiency, asset and labour management, to name but a few examples."

He added that in addition to theoretical education, gaining practical experience is also key before a newly qualified professional picks up a tool for his or her first job. "The challenges mentioned above can be met successfully in modern training centres, which can react to market developments and have the human and material resources to meet the needs of the market. As an important player in the market, Hilti is also committed to the efficient and safe training of skilled workers - especially in the framework of cooperation between companies and vocational training. Our aim is to ensure that the next generation will use the most modern, safe and efficient tools and software as a matter of course."