Training for success

Raining and support consultant Pia Nitz has had busy last year. “In 2017 we trained almost 340 people, and we had two days of training per week almost year-round. That’s a lot!” Pia explains happily. She joined Solibri as a part of the customer support staff in 2015, held her first training in 2016, and since then has gradually taken charge of customer training at Solibri.

Solibri offers both customer and public trainings. Customer trainings are held in small groups so that there is enough time for questions and personal guidance. The public trainings have also been a success, and they offer opportunities  to exchange ideas and views, for the participants often work in different design professions. In Finland, some companies have only just begun to consider BIM, while others are already top-notch operators. “Solibri’s trainings are highly sought after. In general, participants have been well satisfied with the training, and we have received positive feedback,” Pia says. 

To our customers, Solibri also offers, for example, regular basic trainings of Solibri Model Checker, aimed at new employees. The site personnel, on the other hand, benefits from Solibri Model Viewer training, as it helps them to make the most of its functions on site. By training all project participants, such as designers, BIM coordinators or site personnel, the customer can make sure that the concept and functions of BIM have been followed through throughout the organization. “If the customer wishes to focus on some specific functions, such as cost calculations, Solibri can answer this need by offering a tailored training. With the help of tailored trainings, the customer can get the maximum benefit from the software,” Pia describes. Solibri also offers shorter workshops that focus on specific features or functions.

The purpose of the basic training is to give beginners a general understanding of Solibri Model Checker, its logic and functions. The target is to provide a toolset and a model workflow for everyone. The training day takes the participants through settings, basic tools, model information, visual checking and navigation. The basics of rule-based checking, information takeoff, and the design process works are also explained to them. Communication methods are discussed with the help of concrete examples and exercises. At the end of the training day, each participant gets a diploma for their participation.

“There is much to learn, so it’s good to keep the group size small. The trainer needs to be able to give each participant hands-on guidance,” says Pia and continues, “The Solibri Professional training focuses more on the customer’s model and on fine-tuning the software, which requires a much deeper understanding of the software.” 

Pia says that her previous experience in project work, BIM and CAD support and documentation is her strength. Getting acquainted with training systems in her previous roles has also developed her skills. “Versatile knowledge and experience from project work in practice are a great advantage, since they enable me  to offer practical and real-life examples,” she states. “We at Solibri have the tool and the knowledge of how to use the software, but we do not have the knowledge of the customer’s process. We can adapt and explain a basic process so that the customer can then refine their process with the help of Solibri’s software,” Pia continues. “As a trainer, the joy of understanding the participants’ Eureka moments motivates  me and makes me feel like I’ve done my job well. Every training session also develops me as a trainer and reveals fresh nuances of the software.”

In 2017, Solibri began to develop criteria and practices for certification, as well as a test procedure. Certification is aimed for partners only. The person who wishes to be certified must have a comprehensive knowledge of the software, including its extensions and licence control. The certification test includes a set of questions for the test-takers and topics which they need to explain as if they were in a training session. Solibri certifies local partners so that they can serve local businesses that operate  in their own linguistic area. “By certifying only partners and managing the process from the head office in Helsinki, we can guarantee the high quality of all our trainings. The Solibri training certificate needs to be a stamp of quality in the future, too,” Pia explains.

Solibri continues to develop its training offering. The next step is to further develop the certification system and to offer users more online content. For example, webinars are easy to access from all over the world, no matter which time zone the user is in. In addition, Solibri has launched a pilot project, which involves a third-party organization. Its purpose is to produce training services for partners.