Winning Buy-in for Automated Technology From the Trades

By

Danny Stumbras

and Diane McCormick

Last Updated Jan 15, 2026

By

Danny Stumbras

and Diane McCormick

Automation in the MEP trades has the power to deliver productivity gains, schedule certainty, improved quality, and enhanced safety — but often, workers fearful of losing their jobs can stand in the way of implementation. However, specialty contractors eager to capitalize on the competitive advantages of automation can overcome worker resistance by turning fears into empowerment.

With MEP tradespeople on their side, SCs can cultivate collaborative teams, willing and equipped to contribute to solutions. By harnessing people-power with the advantages of automation, they can maximize the impact of automation on operations and profitability. 

Changing Skill Sets

The field of automation is synchronizing with the MEP trades as sophisticated technology equips machines to perform manual, repetitive tasks that, traditionally, could only be done with human hands.

Today’s automation is conducting welding, bricklaying, and ducting on jobsites. Offsite, automated machines are prefabricating components for delivery, custom-made to meet exacting specifications entered into BIM software.

However, the construction industry still needs people with baseline knowledge of manual skills. Foundational expertise prepares them to operate as programmers, teammates, and quality inspectors, trained in coaxing optimal performance from machines and yielding a strong return on investments. 

In many cases, automation is shifting the trades from pure manual craft to hybridized skill sets. People with MEP skills are learning collaborative robot operations, data interpretation, and operation of computer numerical control (CNC). 

When machines inevitably make mistakes — or perhaps more accurately, the people programming them make mistakes — having a corps of skilled workers on hand assures that someone can step in to align installations with plans.

Danny Stumbras

Manager, Strategic Product Consultants, Specialty Contractors

Procore Technologies

How the MEP Trades Benefit from Automation

Even with the advent of exciting new opportunities, worker resistance to automation is natural. The industrial history of the world is a tale of jobs lost to machines, and today’s workers see robots taking over even the roles once thought to be purely in the human domain. 

However, specialty contractors can begin to make a dent in objects, and perhaps win converts, by demonstrating the usefulness of automation in the lives of MEP workers. 

• Safer Workplaces

  Robot hands caught between bricks can be easily repaired. Human hands cannot.

• Higher Productivity

  Automation eases the timeline-driven pressure to produce. 

• More Job Opportunities

  SCs who fully leverage the cost savings and risk mitigation of automation position themselves to win the more profitable, higher-prestige bids that keep tradespeople on the job year-round.

• Career Laddering

  Tradespeople who build their skills in operating automated systems can find themselves on leadership pathways. They might supervise implementation for multiple teams across sites, or they can move into BIM and virtual design and construction (VDC) roles. 

Educating and Upskilling for Tech Growth

In the rapidly changing automation environment, the soft skills of continuous learning and adaptability become paramount. Effective approaches to upskilling and change management include: 

• Blended learning, which builds comprehension by applying the best of classroom, vendor-led, hands-on, and simulated experiences. 
• Simulations, dry runs, and apprenticeships, giving operators opportunities to fail and learn in non-field settings. 
• Credentialing and certifications for new technologies and equipment. Even experienced, fully certified welders, for instance, will require additional skills as they take leadership and sign-off roles in automated welding operations.
• Train-the-trainer and peer mentoring programs. 
• Top-down leadership that wins buy-in. A commitment to training and systemized incentives can help win converts. Rewards sprinkled throughout implementation can foster a culture of acceptance and recognition of the benefits of automation. 

Next Steps for Automation in the Trades

Automation isn’t standing still. Emerging technologies include robotic fabrication cells for integrated cutting, prep, and welding; collaborative robots that assist rather than replace tradespeople; 3D printing for complex manifolds, custom-fit elements, and entire structures; automated guided vehicles for material handling in shops and on-site; and AI-powered tools for clash detection, routing optimization, and equipment sizing. 

As new technology emerges, strategic planning assures adoption of the right tools for the job and acceptance by tradespeople empowered to partner with them. An adaptable approach positions specialty contractors to make automation a partner in delivering on time, on scope, and on budget. 

A foundation for embracing what’s next should be pragmatic, seeking out the automation that relieves pain points.

Suitable projects to include those offering cross-disciplinary impact, for exponential opportunities to win buy-in across trades.

Measurable pilots help validate the benefits and offer lessons learned. Measurability prepares the system for scalability, a key piece in mitigating risk by accounting for cycle times, quality, cost, and safety. 

Scaling successful pilots across sites and projects helps tradespeople get accustomed to seeing automation in their daily work. The emphasis on continuous learning demonstrates that automation will amplify the trades, not replace them.

Skilled tradespeople can be a secret weapon in the race to gain a competitive advantage through automation. Strategy begins with winning hearts and minds, empowering people to partner with automation and use it for both their personal growth and their employer’s prospects for cutting-edge, profitable jobs. 

Written by

Danny Stumbras

Manager, Strategic Product Consultants, Specialty Contractors | Procore Technologies

Danny Stumbras, MBA is a versatile, seasoned construction professional with a wealth of knowledge in several core areas including project management and all facets of specialty contractor trades. At Procore, Danny focuses specifically on consultant relationships and leverages his past experiences to drive recognizable value to all segments of the customer base. He earned a BA from the University of Colorado where he focused on Environmental Studies and an MBA from the University of Utah – David Eccles School of Business.

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Diane McCormick

Writer | Procore Technologies

51 articles

Diane McCormick is a freelance journalist covering construction, packaging, manufacturing, natural gas distribution, and waste oil recycling. A proud resident of Harrisburg, PA, Diane is well-versed in several types of digital and print media. Recognized as one of the premier voices in her region, she was recognized as the Keystone Media Freelance Journalist of the Year in 2022 and again in 2023.

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