why i left BIM

Points
4 sitting in front of a desk all day - has it changed?
7. overtime at night -iss it not the same for other disciplines also?
8. Don't have a life - because you need to wait for conteragent actions?
I suppose I have question which is interesting for many - is it better paid than BIM?

Completely opposite for me, I find 3D modelling and shopdrawing production extremely relaxing. Especially if they are modeled/drawn with complete information and proper coordination. For me, working in BIM focuses on 4 things:

Software/Hardware knowledge,
Shopdrawing knowledge/production,
Coordination,
Information gathering

All of them I have my interests in except for Coordination which is still the bane of everybody's existence.

That is one of the biggest problems with young graduates coming out of university to work on that type of software without having the field experience. It is always better and easier coming from the field to use a piece of BIM software than the other way around. When you draw or insert an object in a drawing/model, 2D or 3D, that symbol means something physically and if you have never seen it, installed it and commissioned it... you are flying blindfolded. There are infinite issues when going from drawings/models to the construction/installation in the real world. Based on my 31 years of experience working around the world on construction of industrial projects, nothing beats the field experience...get it first and then any piece of software for building projects will be trivial, whether it is 2D or 3D...it doesn't matter when you have the real world experience.
Of course field experience is not glamorous, you have to get your hands and clothes dirty, it is dangerous, etc. ....but the satisfaction of seeing something that you helped to build working properly and safely is priceless!!

What do you think about civil engineering?

How can i study cost management or how to become a cost manager?

As a BIM engineer who gave up, i hope many people to become BIM engineer too, because i dont want everyone give up too...., and nobody will become BIM engineer

You better love to draw otherwise will get very boring. Fire Protection Engineer - Lic. Contractor (Fire Sprinkler Design). When I started it was pencil on velum and believe it or not I miss that + got more recognition for my hand drawings (I was as good as any Architect) and then along comes CAD. It has it's advantages and anybody can produce something decent to look at, but being from hand drawings my CAD stuff looks pretty damn good, got many good compliments in the past, I just turned 62. No BIM yet, just 3D, however drawn in 2D which makes for a better environment.

I am BIM coordinator/engineer around 3 yrs In Hong Kong, before I was a designer on interior & landscape feild , I am very agree with your opinion.
Also I feel about that in this feild , I just learn about the software , BIM strandard , BIM use etc, A lot of not interested in things.

I wish you could get in to construction as a part of Engineering team on Actual site with RFI's and Contract reviews, Planing of the all activities from Engineering stand point. In this case you might love BIM/Design Engineering.
After 15 years in Industrial engineering the best it will be if you can enhance your major (civil/mech/piping etc) by being in different organizations such as a Projectized and Functional. Looks like you in Functional type of organization. Also I think to be great BIM Designer people should talk to site guys. But I do remember Cost Estimator people always come to us asking how it going to be build

anh có phải là người Việt Nam không ạ

I just graduated from bachelor's degree in civil engineering, and my final year research project supervisor shared me a job opportunity to work as a BIM/VDC engineer consultant. He saw me that I am more interested in handling with software stuff during my FYRP. Well, my FYRP is site monitoring using drone and I need to use MATLAB to achieve the research objectives. Not only this, I also handle software tasks and sometime is leader in most of the assignments during the undergraduate.
Personally, I was actually looking for site/project engineers vacancy but it will need some time to get a job in my region. But now, I have the job opportunity to work as BIM engineer in the consultant firm, which i never expected and thought of to work in a consultant firm. Any suggestions/advices/comment to start the job as a fresh BIM engineer?

note: BIM technology is also has very low adoption in my region (East Malaysia) while I will be working at Kuala Lumpur first. sorry for the long paragraphs lol

This is how i feel training in BIM cos now im training in Construction mgmt. And its been a rough ride using Revit 2024. Its useless piece of rubbish that cant even do topography unless you use Civil 3D and then save csv files to then load in Revit. Oh ive had some sleepless nignts staying up to like 5.30am. Im 100% in agreement with you.

honest and inspiring. thank you.

You said you wanted to be on the side where you know more about construction - so what path are you on now to achieve that goal? I'm trying to learn about all the different avenues as someone who really feels like he knows nothing.

Hi, i just graduated from my batchelor's degree in electrical and electronics engineering, and i currently got a small low paying job in an bim company. Is it okay for an electrical engineering to be in the bim industry and can i see any growth? Pls share your thoughts

You left the train of BIM Just before its started to got in track its your lost not BIM lost

Leaving clash detection identifying and little documentation works sometimes the BIM workflow looks unnecessary . Is i am right mr tan?

This is certainly one of the best videos on BIM I ever encountered. I have been in BIM for almost 10 years. You are right on with your perspective on being into construction knowledge rather than just software. Smart decision.

What do you think about planning engineering and cost control in construction field?

Hey Hi.. I am a 2022 Architecture Graduate and I am planning to move into the BIM industry any suggestions?

BIM is only effective if one uses it as a BIM rather than like a regular CAD software.
Revit is a beast of information. Every information you can come up with can be extracted off the models, provided you model things correctly and embed information correctly, including material take offs.

As a former HVAC designer and now a bim coordinator I've said for a long time, Revit is the worst computer game ever made.

I'm a CAD technician with BEng. and i'm working in London UK, in structural engineering firms, for 6 years, i love what i'm doing, in deadlines the stress can kill you, some times it's hard to cope with it, but i love what i'm doing, working in 3D is fun, it does look like gaming a bit, and drafting is mesmerising, some times i get into trance just by drafting, it's very important to love what you do and do what you love, as long as you have this secret ingredient then your life will be happier.

I think you're far away from understanding the concept of BIM. If you're in construction and you think you don't partecipate in the BIM process, even if you worked 2 years as BIM engineer, you didn't understand what is BIM.
BIM is not a software, BIM is not 3d modelling.
BIM is a process, and being a BIM engineer is being a person who works with structured data (geometrical and non-geometrical).

What is BIM in this context? I was looking for info on the POS system and when I saw you with the coffee mug, I thought you worked in a restaurant...😅

Sir i5 10th gen processor is good for BIM, REVIT and CAD ?

hello, tan,
I am an architecture student currently in my 4th year, I found my interest in using software like 3d max, twin motion, and many more
but I am not able to decide where I should start first or what are the possibilities with these skills or from learning these? can you please suggest them to me.

I am a cost estimator/quantity surveyor for past 10 years, i am thinking to learn softwares like civil 3d atleast since that could be the future even for estimators

I am from India and postgraduated in structural engineering...can you suggest me software courses to start my career

As an AutoCAD draftsman I wonderd what a "Bim draftsman" does differently, So this confirms my assuption, they have no idea what they are doing.

Being a civil engineering graduate
Is it okay to work in BIM architect rather than BIM structures

Which has more scope in future for getting job easily
BIM in architects or BIM in Structures?

It's your choice. It doesn't mean bim is useless. You mean you don't like learn bim softwares. It is your problem. Any one can't hate new innovation. Because new innovation is our future. Some one hate new innovation one day he will cry.

Hi Trey, thanks for your sharing, right now, I am a cost management intern working for a consulting company, and they might give me a return offer when I complete my master's degree, would you like to share insight salary for this position?

Great video. Now I'm more interested in getting a degree in BIM

Please tell me softwares used in BIM??I want to do master in construction management and BIM..

How can your followers contact you since you left Kattera?

For me the best way to be a BIM engineer is to go through field first, be a site engr. Have an experienc. be a subcon, go to small scale then be a BIM engineer so you can see how to design and the sequence of operation in the construction site.

Just say u want to be an Architect cause that's what I'm getting from this

I just found out about your video while searching for a BIM tutorial. Suddenly it hits me on your words and till now I am struggling which path I should go. From 1st employment as a Civil Engineer in construction in the Philippines and here I am in UAE working as a Cad operator. Feeling downgraded and doing this just to survive. Sigh 😓

Playing with models in a virtual environment? you haven't done anything in BIM . Say that and just move on.


If you are a skilled BIM Professional everything can be incorporated into the BIM Model.

You don't have the necessary skills and thought process to move forward


Katerra is a BIG firm (then) you should have joined a small BIM Practice where you can learn whatever you are doing as a cost Consultant.

Even i think like. You.. I hate screens

Did you do the reinforcement model also? And rebar schedule?

Great explanation, Trey.
I'm a civil engineer, and I want to switch my career in BIM. I have grown my interest in BIM, and it seemes initially Revit, Navisworks and Primavera will be good.

My question is that, according to my skills, being an Indian and indian resident, is there any possibility to get remote job in US/UK or Canadian based company BIM jobs who recruites employee from remote location (or in abroad)? Like BIM modeller, planning; costing engineer; estimation engineer and management engineer.

If so, please give few name of those companies, or give me any source where I can find such companies.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Trey, Thanks for your video. I use Python and Dynamo for BIM project, it is also funny.

Is the Bim process job is very confusing and stressful ?

Great video Trey! To some degree I sidestepped BIM into computation recently (whilst still lending towards BIM goals/workflows), and can certainly relate to much of what you share here. The industry is vast and there's a lot of opportunities out there, some less close to BIM than others, but all very important to the bigger picture.

Distance from site/trade is a massive issue, and I see so many grads thrown behind computer screens whilst onsite team members either don't understand how technical delivery works, or can't communicate well with the delivery team. So much brain drain and data loss in between this. I'm genuinely concerned that we're raising a new generation into the industry that will have very little construction experience, and it may drag down the architecture/engineering profession for a long time.

Hello sir, i m from india and i will be graduate in this year as civil engineer but i m confused to make career in BIM or not. I love to work with 3d model but i don't know is there any career in and high paying jobs available In BIM. so can tell is the BIM is right choice for civil engineer.

Hey Tan, I am conssidering getting started in BIM. Do you have any recocmendations on where can I learn BIM? there are so many options online that I dont which are good and valid and which are fake.

Then become a BIM manager, then your job is to calculate everything and lead the bim modelers

I’m an architect and also in project management and kinda shifting to BIM… hmmm now I don’t know what to do after watching this 😮‍💨