INSIGHT
GENERATION Z :
FUSING THE OLD WITH THE NEW
By : Hanlie Turner
Traditionally the domain of a serious set of older engineers , cement / concrete technology and civil engineers are currently undergoing a slow but steady transition . With smart future cities becoming a reality , the generation that will be their future custodian is finding its voice – and is demanding to be involved from concept to development and construction .
As a generation that expects to work harder than previous generations ( to ‘ fix ’ what we ’ ve already broken ), Generation Z is already doing this from ‘ within ’ the system ; leveraging new technologies , digital transformation and new architectural thinking among others to renew and transform our century-old discipline . Finding the balance between encouraging their creativity and maintaining the principles of structural integrity is therefore the new challenge facing the sector : one we expect to continue grappling with well beyond 2018 .
Connected from birth , the ‘ iGeneration ’ or Generation Z is the demographic group following the world ’ s Millennials . Most have used the internet from a young age and are extremely comfortable with technology and interacting on social media . As the next generation preparing to enter the workplace and market , they ’ re not only excited to see what the future holds , but to understand how they can contribute directly to it .
With more Generation Zs considering civil engineering as a preferred career path , they ’ re pushing the boundaries of what was previously assumed , thought about and expected from materials like cement and concrete – making it critical to engage with them from the outset . While uses of these media have changed , design and structural principles haven ’ t and won ’ t meaning that they must push boundaries within certain parameters .
Creating the appropriate framework for experimentation that leads to direct learning is therefore an opportunity we must take advantage of . While principles and concepts could simply be taught ( and accepted ) in the past , this approach simply doesn ’ t work in the Generation Z space because of their diversity and complexity . They ’ re smart spenders for example , who aren ’ t sucked in by advertising or seduced by big brands . They don ’ t automatically believe or trust what you say and will research the facts you ’ re sharing with them as you ’ re doing so to verify them . They ’ re also impatient and demanding when it comes to service and have an incredibly short attention span ( roughly four seconds ). If you don ’ t ‘ hook ’ them during this window of opportunity , it closes . This makes learning by doing arguably the only viable approach .
Creating new learning opportunities has therefore become a sector imperative – with some interesting new initiatives emerging . The Concrete Society of Southern Africa ’ s ( CSSA ) partnership with various local universities is a great example of this . The CSSA typically starts its engagement with new civil engineering students with its annual concrete canoe race . Here teams design , build and race their canoes whilst working in a new and inter-disciplinary way with project management and technology students . ( The canoe must have a GPS on it for instance .)
Like the CSSA ’ s ‘ egg protection device ’ competition requires students to work within strict specifications to construct a bridge to protect their egg . The competition is sponsored by PPC , which means that the teams are provided with a specified mix to cast their bridges professionally . Seven days after construction , the teams come through to our PPC Jupiter plant where weights are dropped onto the bridges to assess which remain intact longest . This is only after the bridges have qualified however , being measured against the specs provided .
Our own PPC Imaginarium has also created a diverse and interesting creative incubation space for concrete as a design medium . Held annually , entries are invited from both expected ( architecture , industrial design and sculpture ) and unexpected disciplines ( fashion , jewellery and film ). Here again , while workshops are held to highlight mixing and other techniques , these are not compulsory – and entrants will need to grapple with specifications including size and weight ; learning throughout .
Gamification techniques have also recently been incorporated into CSSA ’ s offering to its younger members . Intended to leverage a natural desire for socialising , learning , mastery , competition , achievement , status and self-expression , Concrete Quiz nights were introduced at branch level during 2017 . Participants in these events are quizzed on their knowledge of concrete technology and the concrete industry , as well as general knowledge .
The results of these and many other initiatives are not only encouraging but potentially industry-transforming in the long-term , with many of us ‘ older generations ’ both humbled and amazed by what can and has been produced .
Going forward into 2018 then , meaningful engagement arguably needs to become one of our pressing priorities so that we can unlock the potential of this techno-creative generation and stand back to allow a completely new set of dynamic opportunities to emerge …
PPC
Hanlie Turner is the PPC group specialist Technical Information Services and president of the Concrete Society of Southern Africa ( CSSA ).
40 _ QUARRY SA | MARCH / APRIL 2018