The American Institute of Constructors (AIC) is advancing construction professionalism on a global scale – and that work took an important step forward in Mexico.

In March 2026, AIC Executive Director and Certification Manager, Canda Mueller, Ph.D., traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico, to meet face-to-face with Cluster De La Construcción Chihuahua, which is a construction cluster of 12 companies and education partners committed to strengthening the region’s workforce.

Their shared focus is bringing our Certified Associate Constructor (CAC) Level I and Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) Level II exams into the heart of a fast‑growing construction market.

“The Chihuahua Cluster is excited to partner with the AIC as we support the growth of the construction industry in Mexico,” said Augusto Champion, President of the Cluster.

How The Chihuahua Cluster Partnership Began

The relationship between AIC and the Chihuahua group began in 2020, when the Cluster first reached out to AIC about forming a partnership.

Chihuahua’s construction sector was expanding rapidly, with heavy industrial projects, data centers, large buildings, and major housing developments coming online. That growth surfaced a familiar problem: a widening skills gap.

Rather than building a new certification program from scratch, the Chihuahua Cluster looked for a proven, psychometrically sound exam that could be adopted and integrated into their workforce development plans. Their goals for a certification partner included the ability to:

• Upskill current workers so teams can keep pace with the complexity of new projects
• Strengthen construction management and project delivery skills across member companies
• Raise the overall standard of professionalism for firms and project teams throughout the region

They found a fit in our professional certification program and began exploring how those tools could be applied in Mexico.

Why This Partnership is Valuable For AIC

For AIC, the Chihuahua partnership is a direct expression of our mission to advance professionalism and ethics in construction wherever projects are built.

This collaboration gives AIC a way to support a fast‑growing region where billions of dollars in infrastructure investment are planned over the next 5–10 years, while offering a shared language of professionalism for constructors, owners, and public entities. It also demonstrates that even when regulations differ across borders, sound management, ethics, and professional standards remain universal.

While AIC credentials are recognized internationally, the focus of this partnership is local impact. The Chihuahua Cluster is committed to preparing constructors who will build Mexico’s projects – from public infrastructure to private development — with higher standards of safety, quality, and management discipline.

Who Is In The Chihuahua Construction Cluster?

The Cluster brings together 12 construction companies and allied partners that represent a broad cross‑section of the region’s built environment. The cluster’s membership and collaborations create a bridge between industry needs and workforce preparation in several key ways:

• Member Firms Cover Critical Sectors: Companies span heavy industrial work, data centers and advanced facilities, large commercial and institutional buildings, and some of the largest housing producers in Chihuahua and throughout the country of Mexico.
• Education Partners Prepare Future Constructors: The Cluster collaborates closely with local universities and career‑technical schools, so graduates leave with the knowledge, skills, and project management mindset the industry expects
• Public‑Sector Engagement Aligns Priorities: Ongoing dialogue with state and city economic development leaders helps align workforce development with long‑term infrastructure and investment plans

To recognize all participating companies, we invite you to view the Chihuahua Construction Cluster Members list.

Why A Face‑To‑Face Visit Mattered

Although the partnership had been developing for several years, Canda’s March 2026 trip to Mexico was a turning point.

Primarily, Canda attended the Chihuahua Cluster’s quarterly meeting, where she met with company leaders from across the state to hear directly about workforce needs and expectations.

Canda also spent time on other key initiatives thanks to the support of Jorge Meza, the Cluster Manager. While in the country, Canda was able to:

• Visit Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey) and tour the facilities to better understand how future constructors are being prepared
• Spend time at Universidad del Sur, which offers both two‑ and four‑year construction programs and has been closely involved with the Cluster from the beginning
• Visit CENALTEC, a career technical center helping students enter the trades with practical, job‑ready skills
• Meet with representatives from the State Economics Secretariat and the City of Chihuahua to explain AIC’s mission and the role of constructor certification in supporting regional growth

The goal was straightforward and important: put a human touch behind the exams.

Cluster members needed space to ask questions, voice concerns, and understand how AIC’s certification standards would work in their context. That kind of trust is difficult to build over email alone, which is why the Cluster deeply appreciated that Canda took the time to travel, listen, and respond in person. That investment laid the groundwork for deeper collaboration around curriculum, translation, and exam delivery.

Strengthening Education And Upskilling Constructors

One of the most promising outcomes from the trip came from the education partners. At Universidad del Sur, instructors volunteered to translate the CAC Level I study guide into Spanish, a step that not only accelerates adoption but also signals real local ownership of the program. As momentum builds at one institution, other universities are expressing interest in joining the effort.

The shared goals for constructors at different career stages are becoming clear:

• Students will graduate with a stronger project management and professional foundation that prepares them to contribute quickly on-site
• Early‑career constructors will enter the field with a credential that signals they understand the management side of construction – not just technical tasks
• Experienced professionals will be able to pursue CPC certification to validate their expertise and open new leadership pathways

Project management principles are relevant across civil, industrial, commercial, and residential work. The Cluster sees CAC and CPC as tools to raise the bar across the entire industry, regardless of project type.

What’s Next: The Implementation Timeline for AIC Exams in Mexico

AIC and the Chihuahua Cluster have aligned on a phased implementation that allows time for translation, curriculum alignment, and local adoption.

The current schedule includes releasing the CAC Level I study guide in Spanish in August 2026, making the full CAC Level I exam available in Spanish in November 2026, and targeting Spring 2027 for the release of the CPC Level II exam in Spanish.

During this period, AIC and Cluster partners will continue curriculum work with local universities, engage instructors, and support companies in integrating certification into hiring, promotion, and professional development pathways.

How This Partnership Can Impact Mexico’s Construction Industry

As Mexico prepares for extensive infrastructure investment, the need for competent, ethical, and professionally grounded constructors will only increase. Our partnership is designed to meet that need in several concrete ways:

• Standardize Expectations for Professional Practice: CAC Level I and CPC Level II establish clear benchmarks for constructor knowledge, ethics, and project management, giving employers a common reference point for evaluating readiness
• Support Employers Who Want Stronger Teams: Companies in the Cluster can use certification as part of hiring, promotion, and development decisions, helping them build teams that are equipped to manage complex projects safely and efficiently
• Equip Graduates To Advance Quickly: Students from local universities and technical programs will enter the workforce with credentials that signal both technical grounding and an understanding of management responsibilities
• Provide a Replicable Model for Other Regions: The framework being built in Chihuahua can be adapted by other states and clusters in Mexico and, eventually, by partners in other countries – without reinventing professional standards from scratch

The long‑term vision is a workforce where certification becomes a reliable signal of readiness, not just a nice‑to‑have credential.

Looking Ahead: A Shared Commitment To Global Professionalism

Both AIC and the Chihuahua Cluster are optimistic about where this work can lead because it is bigger than a single trip or a single exam. It is a practical example of what happens when a regional cluster, higher‑education partners, and a professional body align around the same goal: constructors who are prepared to lead.

As AIC exams move into Spanish and become part of how classrooms, companies, and project teams in Chihuahua prepare their workforce, we will stay focused on listening to local partners and refining how certification is delivered. AIC will carry those lessons into other regions that want to raise the bar for construction professionalism.

This partnership is one step in a long‑term commitment to support constructors wherever they build. We do that by pairing rigorous standards with real‑world context and by working alongside leaders in places like Chihuahua who are ready to grow the industry from the inside out.

If you are an AIC member who wants to help advance this work – through mentoring, outreach, or sharing opportunities with your network – let’s talk about how you can get involved. Contact Canda at [email protected] to learn more!