Get to know Matt (or Matthew when he is in trouble)

What can our customers expect from you in the role of Education Manager?

My role at Civil Survey Solutions is to ensure our clients have access to timely, relevant, and tailored learning resources across the range of software we supply and support. This includes management of learning resources, ensuring that clients can access educational content either immediately (self-paced), scheduled (web-enabled or face-to-face), or customised delivery.

I understand completely that engineering software requires its users to continually enhance and revisit their skillsets, understand and make use of new features and capabilities, and ensure these can be managed and coordinated across teams.

I have always been impressed with Civil Survey Solutions technical abilities and management focus on training. With the addition of new training platforms and technical content, I am confident that Civil Survey Solutions will remain the premier technical partner for our civil, survey and infrastructure clients.

Can you give us an overview of your career and experience?

I have over fifteen years of experience using construction technologies so have developed an understanding of the opportunities and challenges for the AEC sector. I have supported global software vendors including Autodesk, Newforma, Solibri, Trimble, and Leica Geosystems. I have worked for consultants such as Hamilton Associates Architects (UK), Woodhead Architects, AAM Surveys, Arup, Veris and Aerometrex.

I have worked closely with several Universities across the country, facilitating lectures, seminars, and technical masterclasses to students, user-groups, and industry bodies regarding digital and technical developments. I helped establish MelBIM (previously Revic), The BIM Day Out, TalkBIM, BuildSA now Built Digital SA. Through this continued involvement with industry associations, peak bodies, and educational institutions, my passion remains to bring industries together on all matters related to advances in software, equipment, and legislative developments.

Can you give us some interesting facts about you and your career?

• I taught AutoCAD and 3D Studio Max at University for first and second architectural year students. But I can’t remember a single command (besides DIMscale).
• I worked with the Navisworks team supporting Navisworks before it was purchased by Autodesk. It was originally named Roamer.
  I was asked to present about Navisworks at Autodesk University 2008. So many years ago.
• My last pre-Covid presentation was at GeoBIM in Amsterdam “Streamlining BIM for Digital Construction” (no audio).
• I worked for a national survey firm to manage scan-to-BIM projects such as 8 Nicholson Street Melbourne.
• One of my largest scan-to-BIM projects was modelling the Pentridge Goal in Victoria.

What did your career path to a trainer look like?

Interestingly, I started my career as a trainer, working as tutor and then lecturer of Digital Design as soon as I finished my architectural degree. All the design degrees were struggling to introduce new digital tools and platforms, due to cost, ageing platforms, and staff shortages. I ended up teaching across several foundation and final years courses supporting their digital and online components.

How do you keep up-to-date with the latest advancements and updates in our software solutions?

Great question. There isn’t a single solution, but observing and understanding everyday technology trends allows you to predict how these may influence industry, in particular the construction industry. Up until now the construction industry has usually been the last to adopt new technologies, resulting in a gradual shift from consumer to construction. Given some of the difficulties in analogue construction processes currently, I imagine this gap will close. For instance, I believe the abilities of AI will be adopted or embedded into construction far quicker than BIM was in comparison.

In regards to the advancements of our Autodesk solutions, our technical team work closely with the Autodesk product team and participates in several beta programs.

This is particularly the case with our specialisations such as Autodesk Civil3D and Autodesk Infraworks, and newly released titles like Autodesk Forma.

Can you share a story where your training had a significant impact on a learner’s professional development or success?

I’d like to believe that everyone who attends training finds it impactful. I remember first and second year students being amazed at their creations in Autodesk Studio Max and it opening a whole new perspective of what design and digital spaces meant to them. Many of those students are now directors in architectural firms.

I remember when I was teaching Autodesk Revit to a small architecture firm in Hawthorn, they had included their site project manager in the course (I guess so it he wasn’t left out).

With no previous CAD experience, he ended up taking to Revit better than some. He had finally found a tool he could express structural and spatial issues in a form he was used to discussing on site.

Outside of work, what are your hobbies or passions that your students might be surprised to learn about?

My list of hobbies seems to have become shorter due to family commitments. It would seem my hobbies now are watching swimming sessions and junior soccer matches. So long as there is coffee, I don’t mind.

I still involve myself with industry groups and broader conversations regarding improving construction workflows and practice, and encourage industry discourse by supporting these group either physically or online.

For any training enquiries or questions you have, please feel free to contact Matt Rumbelow directly.

Matt Rumbelow, B.Arch (Hons), UniSA

Education Manager, Civil Survey Solutions
Email: matthew.rumbelow@civilsurveysolutions.com.au
Phone: 0498 800 553
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrumbelow/