Designing and Piloting an Internal ‘University’ for a Data-Center GC: A Three-Legged Framework for Standardized Training

10 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Abstract

Rapid growth in U.S. data-center construction is forcing specialized general contractors to onboard geographically dispersed teams under tight schedules. Many firms still rely on informal mentoring, creating variation in documentation, digital workflow execution, and communication norms as experienced hires arrive with different playbooks. This design-based, single-firm case study documents how an industry–academic team implemented an internal corporate university to standardize Procore-based processes and company expectations. The team conducted a training needs assessment, selected an LMS using a multi-criteria decision matrix, and developed 40 microlearning modules organized into three components: construction management foundations, Procore workflow execution, and “The Company Way.” The program was piloted on two project teams using six core modules (Submittals, Job Cost Control, Scheduling Basics, Pay Applications, RFIs, and Leadership Fundamentals). Pilot indicators from LMS analytics (completion, time-on-task, quiz performance) and coded supervisor logs suggest clearer expectations for task completion and more consistent workflow execution, while longitudinal outcomes remain in progress. The paper contributes a transferable framework, an LMS selection approach, and a practical mixed-method evaluation design for contractors scaling onboarding during rapid growth.

Keyphrases: construction training, data centers, learning management systems, procore, workforce development

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 989-998.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/jDbq
	https://doi.org/10.29007/2jsk

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Designing_Piloting_Internal_‘University,
  author    = {Amy King Lewis and Lori Brown},
  title     = {Designing and Piloting an Internal ‘University’ for a Data-Center GC: A Three-Legged Framework for Standardized Training},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/jDbq},
  doi       = {10.29007/2jsk},
  pages     = {989-998},
  year      = {2026}}

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