| | December 20136CIOReviewBUILDING A MOBILE INFRASTRUCTURE For A New Generation In The Construction IndustryBy Jon Witty, VP & GM, Sage Construction and Real EstateSage Construction and Real Estate is a subsidiary of Sage [LSE: SGE.L].The company provides construction software, contractor software, estimating software and property management software.Making mission critical business applications available remotely is an important topic in the construction industry, where money is made and lost in the field. Remote access allows project managers and superintendents on the job site to make more informed decisions and improve productivity. With even small contractors seeking work outside their geographic region, being able to offer solid remote technology to employees is critical for a construction company's success. Cloud-based mobile technologies provide employees with the flexibility they crave, enabling them to work anytime, anyplace.This flexibility is particularly important when attracting technology savvy Millenials who are used to mobile access. This generation of digital natives­ the first to grow up with computers in their homes­has incorporated personal handheld devices and the freedom they provide into their personal lives. As they begin to enter the workforce, they are becoming instrumental in the way industries such as construction and real estate view and use technology and they expect to have the same technology available in their jobs as they have in their personal lives.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an estimated 80 million people born between 1979 and 1999 will make up 36 percent of the workforce by 2014 and 46 percent by 2020. What does this mean for the construction industry? As Millenials continue to join and advance in the workforce, mobile and cloud technology will be tightly woven into the way we work, communicate and live, allowing contractors to have the technological solutions to better collaborate and get the Jon Wittyopinionin my
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