The Center for Offsite Construction (CfOC) and the Modular Building Institute (MBI) are launching ABOCE, an accreditation initiative intended to establish a formal educational pathway for colleges and universities preparing students for careers in offsite and industrialized construction.

Offsite construction is no longer viewed as a niche approach. Instead, modular, panelized, volumetric and other industrialized methods are increasingly seen as necessary tools for increasing construction capacity and addressing the shortage of affordable housing.

The Shift from Construction to Manufacturing

Jason Van Nest, Executive Director, Center for Offsite Construction, speaking in an opening statement during a joint press conference emphasized that scaling offsite construction requires the industry to “productize” recurring building components and apply manufacturing principles to construction. That means future professionals will need skills that go beyond traditional architectural and construction education, including:

• Material planning
• Production flow
• Lot sizing
• Quality control
• Continuous improvement
• Designing for specific customers and market segments

The underlying argument is that builders cannot achieve the scale needed for today's housing demand by treating every building as a completely individual project.

“This,” Van Nest said, “is how we build the workforce, methods, and production capacity needed to confront the affordable housing crisis.”

Education Is Lagging Industry Practice

Heather Packard, CAE, Professional & Workforce Development Director, Modular Building Institute and Executive Director, MBI Educational Foundation, identified a workforce-development gap: today's offsite projects require professionals who understand the entire delivery chain, including design, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, site assembly and coordinated project delivery.

However, universities generally lack a dedicated accreditation pathway focused on these integrated methods.

ABOCE is intended to begin filling that gap by recognizing academic programs that incorporate the manufacturing-oriented knowledge and skills required by the offsite construction industry.

“Together, we can build the talent pipeline this transformation requires,” Packard said.

Industry Input Will be Critical

Both CfOC and MBI stressed that the accreditation effort cannot be developed solely by academia.

Packard noted that industry partners need to help define accreditation standards so that educational programs reflect the skills graduates will actually need in the field. This suggests ABOCE is intended to create a closer connection between universities and employers as industrialized construction methods continue to evolve.

The Bigger Workforce and Housing Implication

The speakers connected ABOCE to two broader industry challenges: the shortage of skilled professionals and the need to increase housing production.

Van Nest characterized workforce development, manufacturing methods and production capacity as interconnected pieces of the affordable-housing challenge. The goal isn't simply to teach students about modular construction; it is to prepare a workforce capable of developing and operating a more scalable construction-production system.

To learn more about the Modular Building Institute, visit www.modular.org. 

To learn more about The Center for Offsite Construction, visit www.nyit.edu/academics/architecture-and-design/center-for-offsite-construction.