Interview with directors Concrete Association and Building with Steel: 'Never want to work from comfort zone' practical education

For this edition of Concrete and Steel Construction, we sat down with Maikel Jagroep, director at the Concrete Association and Frank Maatje, who has the same role but at the Building with Steel platform. When we take a look at the future with them - and thus where the challenges lie - they are unanimous: "The profession, now active in the industries, is aging and aging. And ... there is a big task ahead of us in terms of sustainability, replacement and maintenance."

Maatje says the challenges are "all the greater" because the popularity of the profession - that is, working in construction - is under pressure. "Fewer and fewer young people are choosing subjects like physics and math. There are other fields where they think they can make money faster and easier." Jagroep nods: "Totally agree. For us, for example, the challenge is to be able to deliver people who can design and build constructively safe. In particular, they must then also master the exact subjects. We will have to continue to provide that."

The two agree that, of course, you can organize open days in education to generate interest in the structural engineering profession. "That's not always easy to pull off, because schools do sometimes make different choices in who they invite to a presentation. The solution is to start telling it even more in primary and secondary schools. But I think that this is mainly a task for Bouwend Nederland," says Jagroep. Maatje agrees. "We - as an organization - are too small for that. We cannot achieve those big goals there. For us, the goal remains primarily to reach the people who are already in the profession and want to increase their level of knowledge."

Interaction between young and old

When asked whether the people who are already taking the courses and training from either the Concrete Association or Building with Steel should take on even more of an ambassadorial role, the two said that those employees are actually already doing that. Maatje: "The training courses are given from different walks of life. The lecturers are very committed members, who are eager to pass on their knowledge and do so in addition to their regular work. That is very nice because they are the ones who can tell what is going on in daily practice. Moreover, they are always looking for interaction. After all, they too can learn from the students. After all, young people often come up with new perspectives or original insights of their own."  

Artificial Intelligence

If Jagroep looks ahead to the next 10 years, as far as he is concerned, more will have to be sought in the further digitization of work processes. Nor can we ignore Artificial Intelligence. "However, I am convinced that in essence it remains human work. Nor should we want to blindly rely on what AI tells us to do. After all, the output of what AI provides remains dependent on input. Constructive safety, of course, must remain at the highest level. 'Garbage in' is 'garbage out'! On that risk we have to stay very sharp! We can't leave anything to chance."

In fact, Jagroep doesn't see the next 10 years as much different from how challenges were viewed 10 years ago. "I do think that the pressure will increase. We really have to have made concrete steps in sustainability and, as always, we will still need people on the construction site. Yes, the shortages will not be solved quickly, but the advantage of a shortage of people is that you learn to work more and more efficiently. So you become more creative. And that's a good thing: you should never want to work out of your comfort zone."   

About Concrete Association

The Concrete Association, founded in 1927, is a Dutch organization dedicated to the promotion of knowledge and innovation in the field of concrete and its application. It provides a platform for professionals in the concrete (construction) industry to gain knowledge, share, network and work together to develop sustainable and innovative concrete solutions. The association acts as a knowledge institution and meeting place for everyone involved in the concrete (construction) industry in the Netherlands. Every year the Concrete Association organizes a multitude of courses, trainings and seminars on the theme of concrete.

About Building with Steel

Building with Steel is a platform dedicated to promoting steel as a versatile, flexible and sustainable building material. It provides knowledge and support to the construction industry through publications, training, courses and events. Objectives are to improve the quality and application of steel structures, encourage innovations and promote sustainability in construction. By collaborating with professionals and organizations, Building with Steel contributes to a stronger and more sustainable construction climate. In addition, the platform acts as a network where knowledge and experiences are shared, allowing the steel construction industry to continuously grow and evolve. Its efforts help realize groundbreaking projects and sustainable building solutions.