buildingSMART, the international organisation leading the development of openBIM standards, has initiated a new Program to support openBIM training. The Professional Certification programis an international endeavour that has been developed by chapters in Europe, Asia and the Americas and is expected to be adopted across the globe.

In recent years we have witnessed an accelerated adoption of BIM around the world. However, there is still a lot of confusion and a lack of consistency in defining processes and agreeing on basic terms and concepts.

There is also a great disparity in the competence of industry professionals who manage and deliver BIM projects. For BIM adoption to be successful, we need:

1. consensus in the use of standardised terminology and processes and
2. a benchmarking mechanism against which the competence of individuals can be measured.

As a recognized leader in the development of openBIM standards, buildingSMART is well positioned to bring clarity and consensus in the definition and application of openBIM principles. Through a standardized program, buildingSMART can provide a global benchmark for openBIM training and competency assessment.

buildingSMART CEO, Richard Petrie, believes the program will have a widespread impact across the global industry. 'It will provide a stable reference point for professionals working in the field of Building Information Modelling. It will also assist employers in recruiting BIM professionals as well as providing transparency for project developers in procuring BIM competent consulting or contracting firms.'

Professional Certification Program coordinator Mark Baldwin adds, 'it is important to emphasise that buildingSMART will not be delivering training itself. The Program exists to support and accredit training organisations to deliver approved courses.' buildingSMART will also provide an online qualification exam for individuals who have attended approved courses.

The first phase of the Program, called Individual Qualification, was initiated in September 2017. With this the professional certification guidelines and content (the so-called learning outcome framework) were made available for buildingSMART Chapters to adopt and localised the Program for national requirements. The Program is still some month away for public launch, which will be announced individually by each participating buildingSMART Chapter.

The Program is made possible by the generous support of its sponsors.