INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD

INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARDS

What They Do:

Provide guidance to ensure academic programs remain relevant to current industry practices and emerging trends.
Advise faculty on curriculum development, technology integration, and professional skill requirements.
Support students through mentorship, internships, scholarships, and networking opportunities.
Create connections that often lead directly to student employment upon graduation.
Advocate for the program within the industry and help build partnerships with employers.
Offer feedback during accreditation reviews and continuous improvement efforts.

Why They Matter:

For students, IAB involvement means access to real-world perspectives, professional mentorship, and a clearer pathway into the construction industry.
For industry partners, participation offers the opportunity to shape future talent, foster innovation, and ensure that graduates enter the workforce with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

Industry Advisory Boards (IABs) play a vital role in strengthening Construction Management education by connecting academic programs with the construction industry. Composed of leaders from across the construction sector—including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, consultants, and owners—these boards serve as a bridge between the classroom and the jobsite.

ACCE and IABs in Accreditation:
As part of the accreditation process, the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) evaluates the effectiveness of a program’s Industry Advisory Board. Review teams assess the IABis structure, its level of engagement with faculty and students, and the impact of its input on curriculum and program improvement. Programs seeking or maintaining accreditation must demonstrate that their IAB provides meaningful guidance, supports student success, and fosters strong ties between the university and the construction industry.

By engaging in this process, ACCE ensures that IABs are not just advisory in name but play an active, measurable role in advancing Construction Management education.

Industry Advisory Board Toolkit

Building Stronger Connections Between Industry and Construction Education

An effective Industry Advisory Board (IAB) can be one of the most valuable resources available to a construction education program. By bringing together educators and construction industry professionals, IABs help ensure that programs remain relevant, responsive, and connected to the evolving needs of the construction industry.

But building an effective IAB takes more than assembling industry representatives. Successful boards have a clear purpose, an appropriate organizational structure, engaged members, strong leadership, and a productive working relationship with faculty and program administrators.

Resources to Help Your IAB Succeed

ACCE has developed this Industry Advisory Board Toolkit to provide practical guidance, examples, and resources for construction education programs and their industry partners.

Whether you are starting a new IAB, reorganizing an existing board, or looking for ways to increase engagement and effectiveness, the resources below can help.

The Toolkit includes materials addressing topics such as:

Starting an Industry Advisory Board – Guidance for identifying members, establishing leadership, defining responsibilities, and conducting your first meetings.
IAB Organization & Governance – Examples of board structures, officer responsibilities, committees, terms of service, and other organizational considerations.
Sample Bylaws & Documents – Examples from established construction education programs that can serve as a starting point for developing your own governing documents.
IAB Best Practices – Ideas and proven approaches for creating an active, engaged, and productive advisory board.
Strengthening an Existing IAB – Strategies for increasing participation, improving meetings, developing stronger industry relationships, and moving your board from advisory to actively engaged.
Industry Engagement – Ideas for involving IAB members in curriculum review, guest lectures, mentoring, internships, career development, student organizations, fundraising, scholarships, and other program initiatives.
Continuous Improvement – Guidance for creating a meaningful process through which industry feedback can help programs evaluate outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.

There Is No Single Model for a Successful IAB

Every construction education program is different. Program size, geographic location, industry sectors, institutional structure, and available resources can all influence how an IAB should be organized.

The materials provided here are therefore intended as guides and examples—not a one-size-fits-all formula. Programs are encouraged to adapt these resources to fit their individual needs and the construction community they serve.

The goal is simple: create an Industry Advisory Board that actively connects education and industry and helps prepare the next generation of construction professionals.

Explore the IAB Resources

Use the presentations, sample documents, templates, and guides below to start, organize, evaluate, or strengthen your Industry Advisory Board.

This simple presentation provides a blueprint on how to organize and govern an IAB on your campus. For more information, please send us a note.

In January, 2024, the ACCE Marketing Committee performed a survey of academia and industry. The objective is to determine the percentage of ACCE accredited programs that have ENR Top 400 Contractors attend their career expo/fairs and/or recruiting events.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES