{
  "id": 15672760,
  "title": "Researcher urges skills training for construction workers in robotics era",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/researcher-urges-skills-training-for-construction-workers-in-robotics",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T23:48:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/researcher-urges-skills-training-for-construction-workers-in-robotics-era/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As construction technology advances with robotics and automation, researcher Abdulkabir Opeyemi Bello urges the need for increased investment in worker training to equip craft workers for a changing industry. Bello, a PhD student at the Smart Industrialized Design and Construction (Smart IDC) Lab at the University of Florida, studies how workers can effectively team up with robots without losing their crucial role in building. The HiLCR research concentrates on determining the expertise, abilities, and competencies needed as robots assume more duties on sites. While robotics has brought benefits to construction processes, Bello stresses the importance of preparing the people who will work alongside them. \"Construction automation is not only a technological transition. It is also a workforce transition,\" he explained. As technologies evolve, the skills needed for construction workers need to adapt accordingly. Construction is rooted in hands-on experience, technical judgment, coordination, and flexibility. As robots take on new tasks, workers may require additional skills to manage, supervise, and collaborate with robotic systems. Bello’s research also explores how tasks can be divided between humans and machines while considering workers’ satisfaction and engagement. The study aims to find ways to combine human expertise with robotic capabilities for optimal results. The findings could guide educators and training institutions to update curricula to match emerging industry demands. Bello stresses that education and training must evolve alongside technological advancements to ensure workers are well-prepared for the transformation. The ultimate goal is to convert the research into training programs that prepare future craft workers for effective human-robot collaboration. Bello’s research also covers modular and industrialized construction, sustainability, and emerging technologies.",
  "summary": "As robotics and automation reshape the construction industry, researcher Abdulkabir Opeyemi Bello has called for greater investment in workforce training to prepare craft workers for the changing demands of technology-driven construction. Bello, a PhD student at the Smart Industrialized Design and Construction (Smart IDC) Lab at the University of Florida, is examining how construction workers […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}