By Nagy Mourad
In construction, impact is tangible. It's seen in a solid foundation, a perfect level, a home that stands the test of time. In training and development, however, impact is often invisible. It's found in mindset shifts, confidence, and competence that emerge over time.
As a builder-turned-educator teaching the Diploma of Building and Construction, I’ve spent the last few years bridging these two worlds. What began as a hands-on profession has evolved into a mission to build not just houses, but capable, ethical, and self-aware builders.
A Classroom as Diverse as a Construction Site
My learners come from every corner of the industry and beyond — carpenters, engineers, estimators, site supervisors, electricians exploring management and career changers from a wide range of industries and walks of life. The classroom (or Zoom room) becomes a reflection of the building site: full of energy, opinions, and varying skill levels.
This diversity is both a challenge and a gift. Experienced tradespeople often bring practical mastery but limited formal documentation or compliance understanding. Others come straight from study, confident with theory but not yet grounded in site realities while others know very little about construction. The real impact lies in connecting those extremes, ensuring that knowledge meets experience, and experience meets structure.
The Digital Shift: Building Online Foundations
When I first transitioned to online delivery, I was sceptical. Construction is a tactile field. How could we possibly simulate the sensory, situational, and problem-solving aspects of building on Zoom?
The turning point came when I realised that “learning by doing” doesn’t always require tools. It requires “action”. If learners are actively engaged, reflecting, sharing stories, analysing case studies, and solving problems collaboratively, they are doing.
Over the past two years, online learning in construction has rapidly evolved. What began as necessity during lockdowns has become a lasting opportunity. Breakout rooms now simulate team huddles; digital whiteboards replace site drawings pinned to a wall; and project-based assessments mirror real compliance documentation. With structure and creativity, the online space can be just as immersive as the job site.
Tactics That Build Engagement
Keeping 25 adult learners focused online after a long day at work is no small feat. It demands more than enthusiasm. It requires structure, authenticity, and purpose.
I open each session with authentic, purpose-driven questions, not the predictable icebreakers that feel forced. For example:
- “What has been your best or worst experience working with a builder?”
- “If you could change one regulation in the NCC, what would it be and why?”
- “Which safety habit on-site do you think has the biggest impact?”
These prompts immediately connect learners to their lived experiences, spark humour and debate, and set a tone of relevance from the start. From there, I use short polls, Kahoot quizzes, and reflective journaling to sustain energy and invite participation.
At times, I still draw inspiration from classic icebreakers, but I never stop there. I often surprise my students with quick quizzes on diverse or unexpected topics, sometimes only loosely connected to construction. These moments lighten the atmosphere and encourage curiosity, helping learners reset and re-engage.
Each session follows the 3-2-5 engagement rhythm:
* Three minutes focused on key slide points,
* Two minutes of trainer-led real-life examples, and
* Five minutes of group discussion or activity to apply learning.
This structured cycle keeps lessons sharp, varied, and interactive. It maintains attention, promotes contribution, and ensures every concept is not just heard but experienced.
The Power of AI in Training and Development
Perhaps the most transformative shift I’ve witnessed recently is the integration of artificial intelligence in training. While many educators see AI as a threat, I see it as a multiplier of human potential.
In construction education, AI tools can generate real-world compliance scenarios, simulate client communications, or instantly draft safety checklists for students to critique. I often use AI to model thinking rather than to replace it. For example, when discussing project risk management, I’ll show how AI produces a risk register, and then challenge the class to identify what it missed or misunderstood.
This not only builds critical thinking but helps students see AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, their professional judgement. It also allows us to measure impact more meaningfully, observing how learners adapt, question, and improve their decision-making through interaction with technology.
Learning by Doing, Even Online
The principle of “learning by doing” remains at the heart of everything I teach. In the physical classroom, that means case studies, roleplays, and drawing mark-ups. Online, it’s reimagined through simulations:
- Learners collaborate in teams to design project management systems, debate or research.
- We analyse actual building defect photos and identify root causes.
- Each student presents a short “site brief” with real documentation and justification.
Through these experiences, learning becomes visible and measurable; not through tests, but through demonstrated capability. Learners can immediately transfer skills back to their workplaces, which is the ultimate metric of impact.
Measuring Impact Beyond the Classroom
Quantifying learning in vocational training can be complex. Completion rates and assessment scores only tell part of the story. The deeper measure of success comes from transformation in confidence, communication, and decision-making.
Many of my students start their Diploma saying, “I’m not a theory person.” Watching those same individuals confidently quote building codes, make an engaging presentation or prepare professional reports six months later is powerful evidence of impact.
Feedback surveys, peer collaboration, and employer testimonials all contribute to measuring effectiveness. But the truest measure is behavioural change; when learners apply what they’ve learned to create safer, more efficient, and more professional sites.
Celebrating Success
Celebration plays a crucial role in maximising impact. In construction, you always celebrate milestones, from the slab pour, to the frame and the lock-up. I’ve adopted that same ritual in training.
At the end of every unit, I make time to acknowledge progress: who improved their documentation most, who helped their peers, who showed leadership. These small recognitions create momentum. They remind learners that development isn’t just about completion. It’s about growth.
When a class finishes the Diploma, it feels like handing over the keys to a completed home. There’s pride, relief, and the sense that something meaningful has been built, not with concrete and timber, but with knowledge, collaboration, and purpose.
Final Thoughts
In both construction and education, quality endures. Impact in vocational training isn’t measured in numbers alone; it’s measured in the calibre of people we help shape. The future of learning, even in traditionally hands-on fields, lies in blending human experience, digital innovation, and emotional intelligence.
When we teach with authenticity, embrace technology wisely, and celebrate growth, the results are unmistakable.
Like a well-built home, learning done right leaves a legacy that lasts.
About the Author: Nagy Mourad
Nagy Mourad is a Melbourne-based builder, educator, and founder of Beehive Homes. A former telecommunications professional turned construction trainer, he teaches the Diploma of Building and Construction and shares his passion for quality and education through his YouTube channel Build Like an Egyptian.
