Men in hard hats swinging hammers. It’s an image from the past that reflected a widespread perception of what the construction industry involved: low-skilled physical labor. That picture has since changed dramatically, writes Eminent Scholar Timothy Becker, chair of the construction engineering and construction management programs in the Del E. Webb School of Construction in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, part of the Fulton Schools. Becker says the field today includes experts in robotics, data analysis, autonomous vehicles, electronics design and many related high-tech fields — all part of a thriving U.S. construction industry that added 235,000 jobs in the past year.

See also: My View: How technology, diversity help tear down the construction industry, Phoenix Business Journal, October 10