Data+construction

Where does construction data come from?

More and more construction processes and activities are going digital and tapping into technology. For example, drones are now used to survey construction sites and buildings. We’re also starting to embed sensors in concrete slabs and columns to monitor movement, temperature and other properties, and we then share that data over the internet of things (IoT).

How much data is there?

Sensors generate enormous amounts of data. We call this ‘big data’. This data needs to be analysed so we can predict building faults and maintenance ahead of time. We can also use data analysis to create augmented reality overlays with ‘X-ray vision’, which can show maintainers where electrical cables and pipes are located.

What opportunities are there for maths and data science grads?

A lot of construction companies will employ more maths and data science grads in the future to gain meaningful insights from the growing amount of data being produced. At the moment, we don’t have enough skilled workers to analyse all the data, so there will be a lot of opportunities for data science grads.

MATHS&DATA + MINING & CONSTRUCTION + STUDY

Bachelor of Construction Management (Quantity Surveying), Western Sydney University Certificate IV in Business (Big Data), Swinburne Open Education

Bachelor of Data Science / Bachelor of Mathematics, University of Newcastle

MATHS&DATA + MINING & CONSTRUCTION + JOBS

Quantity surveyor $53K–$112K

Graduate mining data analyst $56K–$122K

Data visualisation analyst $54K–$90K Data analyst $56K–$103K

Salaries according to payscale.com, australianminingcareers.com.au

Crunching the numbers

Have you ever wondered who keeps multimillion dollar construction projects on track? Quantity surveyors are the accountants of the construction industry. They are the brains behind budgets – from the start of the project right through to the finishing touches. Quantity surveyors are in high demand and come to work in Australia from all over the world.