The Reality for Young BIM Technicians with Dane Carroll

Senior Drafter, Dane Carroll, recently joined the Digital Construction Podcast to discuss the crucial elements of long-term career success in digital engineering, focusing heavily on the art of drafting and the power of mentorship. Drawing on his deep experience, particularly within the infrastructure space, Dane shared his philosophy that career advancement is rooted in maintaining a leader’s mindset, embracing lifelong learning, and understanding that genuine relationships forge the best opportunities. This conversation is a vital listen for anyone looking to build a resilient and valuable career path in the rapidly evolving construction technology industry.

Cultivating a Leadership Mindset

A key piece of advice Dane received early in his career emphasized the importance of possessing the mindset of a leader, not a follower. He believes professional growth requires having one's own thoughts and perspectives, consistently questioning situations, reflecting on experiences, and seeking better ways of working. For Dane, this means refusing to accept the phrase: 'this is how we’ve always done it,' and constantly looking for improvements. This philosophical approach bleeds into all aspects of his professional life.

The Unique Complexities of Infrastructure

Dane has spent many years specializing in bridge and infrastructure projects. He notes that BIM and drafting in this horizontal space differ significantly from vertical construction projects (buildings). Infrastructure requires dealing with complex horizontal and vertical geometry, demanding minimal tolerances and accuracy. Furthermore, these projects involve coordinating multiple critical interfaces, such as civil, road, rail, and utilities, making the scope much broader. Given that bridges tend to be far less forgiving, getting necessary information and planning correct upfront is absolutely critical. Working across multiple state governments also adds a layer of complexity due to varying presentation styles and terminologies (NSW, Big Roads, Main Roads WA).

The Enduring Art of Drafting

The history of drafting stems from the drawing board, focusing on presentation skills and accurately interpreting information from engineers or architects for construction. Dane refers to drafting as high-level technical visual communication, stressing that the art is about understanding why the detail matters. 

Despite the focus on models in larger projects ($50 million and above), Dane notes that the majority of work remains heavily reliant on quality documentation for clients. He suggests that younger technicians may sometimes neglect this sense of craft and pride, becoming overly reliant on software automation. The craftsmanship of drafting relies on clarity, accuracy, and the intention put into the information so that someone on site can build confidently from the drawings.

Balancing Speed, Quality, and Expectations

The rapid, modern environment creates pressure for speed over quality. Dane approaches this challenge using a project management framework: the iron triangle of time, cost, and quality, which requires experience to balance effectively. The key is communicating early with clients and being honest about constraints. If a client demands speed and cheapness, the quality will inevitably drop. Therefore, setting clear expectations early on regarding scope, data requirements, and whether the delivery requires a detailed model or just documentation is vital to maintaining output quality.

The Power of Good Mentorship

Mentorship has been crucial throughout Dane’s career, starting with a mentor who helped shape his foundation, standards, and work ethic right out of school. A good mentor provides patience and sets high standards, but also grants junior staff responsibility, allowing them to make fixable mistakes within a safety net. Dane believes that professionals often grow more from navigating errors than from doing things right the first time. He actively encourages young people to seek out mentors, whether they are managers, seniors, or even co-workers, by being open and expressing the willingness to learn. 

Say 'Yes' to Opportunities

Early in his career, Dane spent four years specializing in structural bridge drafting. However, he found that diversifying his skills by saying "yes" to opportunities to work with buildings, tunnels, and civil teams created overall value for him and his company. These experiences offered a holistic view of infrastructure and simplified collaboration and coordination across disciplines. Taking on new challenges builds self-confidence and accelerates career growth. His continued focus on lifelong learning, including returning to formal study for Digital Engineering, is also driven by the curiosity to gain a better understanding and add more "strings to his bow".

Building and Maintaining Trusting Relationships

Dane emphasizes that building genuine relationships with co-workers is crucial because most professional opportunities come from people who know and trust your capabilities and professionalism. When integrating into a new project or team, his primary approach is to adapt and adopt the existing systems and workflows immediately to start delivering value. Only after establishing trust and respect with the existing team, and demonstrating competence by providing solutions to issues, should one start offering suggestions for change. He advises asking questions not just about the project but about the person, showing genuine interest in co-workers, as you spend a significant amount of time with these individuals.

Key Takeaways

• A successful career requires adopting a leader's mindset by constantly questioning processes and seeking improvements.
• Infrastructure drafting demands high upfront clarity and planning due to the minimal tolerances and unforgiving nature of geometry in bridges.
• Quality documentation is still crucial for most projects, and technical professionals must not let digital modeling skills overshadow foundational drafting principles.
• Avoid becoming overly reliant on software automation; focus on developing cognitive and critical thinking skills.
• Good mentors provide patience, hold high standards, and give junior staff genuine responsibility to learn from fixable mistakes.
• Always say "yes" to new opportunities to diversify skills, which in turn makes the individual more valuable and adaptable.
• Career opportunities often arise from genuine professional relationships built on trust and a good work reputation.
• Careers are built slowly over time through sustained effort and experience, not through instant results seen on social media.