6 BIM Certifications You Can Get for Career Advancement

The list below contains BIM certifications around the world a person can get to formally qualify themselves as a BIM professional in the AEC industry. Note that the BIM certification that is most appropriate for you will depend on the eligibility criteria and your professional standing. Additionally, most of these certifications require you have certain amount of experience in the BIM field. So you might want to consider doing a Professional Course in BIM to get started.

Now, let’s check out the various BIM Certification options one can opt for.

Bre academy of Bre Group provides two types of BIM certifications for individuals - BIM Informed professionals certification and BIM practitioner Certification.

BIM Informed Professionals

This is targeted toward individuals who have not been working with BIM within ISO 19650-2:2018 project environment. It is suitable for policymakers, academicians and construction professionals who are starting with BIM workflows. The BIM certification is issued after an assessment to demonstrate knowledge of information management using BIM.

BIM Practitioner Certification

This is for those who are already working with BIM. The assessment is similar to the BIM Informed Professionals Certification, however, project-based evidence should be submitted wherever relevant - though not mandatory, as it will be beneficial in the process.

There are no specific eligibility criteria. However, the BIM certification exam can only be applied for after completion of the two courses. BIM Essentials and BIM Information Management Courses can be taken separately or as part of the BIM ISO 19650 course bundle. Note that both must be completed before applying for the certifications. The candidate will receive CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certificate upon completion which is accepted by major professional bodies.

The certification from buildingSMART is quite different from others on this list in that the learner will not be learning directly from it but through the buildingSMART-approved training providers. However, the organisation will be managing the testing and qualification of the learners.

It is created for AEC professionals who will undergo a BIM certification online assessment to get buildingSMART Qualified. This qualification is recognised globally as it is based on the latest international standards and training content from the creators of openBIM, supported by leading AEC software companies such as Graphisoft, Vectorworks and Trimble. This very approach is at the core of this programme. The learners can choose between Foundation and Practitioner levels; the former for basic BIM knowledge and the latter for a comprehensive approach with applied learning and practical expertise. The Practitioner level will only be available in late 2022.

Graphisoft Certified Archicad Professional

Graphisoft, the home of Archicad software (one of the popular BIM software), offers two certifications related to BIM. The learners will explore the BIM workflow along with Archicad software. Though no prerequisites, this certification is targeted toward professionals with Archicad experience. The participants can join the optional Graphisoft BIM classes for a better understanding of BIM and Archicad. Passing the supervised exam at Graphisoft Authorized Certification centres is required to get the certification.

Graphisoft Archicad BIM Manager Program

This is a trainer-led BIM certification online course. While the Archicad course has no specified learners’ professions, this programme is for BIM managers or BIM coordinators, aspiring or working professionals. The duration is 40 hours in 10 weeks. The participant will earn a certificate upon completion of the program with all the quizzes, group projects and the main 10-weeks long individual project submitted. The certification is valid for 2 years.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, RICS’s BIM Manager Certification allows the professionals to demonstrate their competence in using BIM. All applicants are required to have a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, an RICS-recognised professional qualification and 12 months of using BIM in cost estimating for construction. The certification is valid for three years.

CanBIM Professional Certification allows an individual to demonstrate their knowledge and experience in working with BIM technologies and processes that are in line with the latest digital innovation in the AEC industry.

CanBIM offers the certification in 4 levels and the eligibility is based on the hours of professional experience. To know the level, the participants are advised to take the pre-screening questionnaire at the start of the application process. Joining a CanBIM-certified course contributes towards these hours via the Fast track process. The certification is valid for 2 years and can be renewed or upgraded per the latest accumulated professional hours.

There is also a similar BIM certification for learners. CanBIM Foundations Certification offers proof that the individual has sound BIM knowledge and experience. The qualification levels are based on the individual hour count in 4 categories: Theory, Software, Applied Learning and combination of Theory and Software. However, only those who have finished a CanBIM-certified course qualify for this certification.

The construction software powerhouse, Autodesk, offers certifications in AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) and Production design & manufacturing. The AEC certifications showcase the individual’s knowledge and skills in CAD and BIM tools.

Autodesk provides these certifications in three different levels - Associate, Professional and Expert. The eligibility criteria are based on the hours of relevant Autodesk software experience; 150 hours for Associate, and 400-1200 hours for Professionals and Experts (depending on the in-depth software knowledge).

Revit Software Professional Certifications include Architectural design, Structural design, Mechanical design and Electrical design, all to be taken individually. There is also a Certified Professional certification in AutoCAD for design and drafting and Civil 3D for Infrastructure design. The exam is 120 minutes long and the certificate is valid for 3 years (retesting is necessary for renewal).

Autodesk tools are used widely in the AEC industry, with Revit being the most popular BIM software. Some architectural and engineering firms ask for BIM certification as proof and an Autodesk certification will give a major advantage over one’s competitors when applying for jobs. Being the top software company, Autodesk certifications are in accordance with current digital practices in the industry and prepare the professionals for real-life usage and capabilities of their software.

And finally, our very own Certified BIM Professional Course. Novatr’s BIM certification course is ideal for both architecture and civil engineering graduates and professionals who are embarking on the BIM professional journey.

The learners will:

• Explore industry-relevant subjects and work on real-life simulated BIM projects, led by expert BIM specialists from top AEC firms worldwide.

• Study online in both live sessions and recorded videos for further support.

• Explore BIM methodologies and tools during the course for 24 weeks, with the last 6 weeks focusing on creating the Capstone Project.

• Use Autodesk Revit as the main BIM software with additional learning on useful plugins and related BIM tools - including Navisworks, Dynamo and BIM 360.

Novatr’s BIM Professional Course prepares learners for the Autodesk BIM certification exams by providing proficient knowledge in both BIM software and workflows and practical experience through real-life BIM projects.

Are BIM certification courses and exams worth all the trouble?

Over 95% of the AEC industry is projected to start using BIM by 2025. This means a BIM-skilled professional has future-safe job security and a higher chance for better pay. After all, BIM has proved itself so far with its impressive efficiency that eliminates unnecessary reworks and facilitates easy documentation, storage and collaboration between all project stakeholders, these statistics are hardly surprising.

So don’t wait and miss the chance to upskill! You don’t wanna be lagging behind other professionals, do you?

Come and join us for an effective learning experience with Novatr's BIM Professional Course and get industry-ready today!