Northbound 2024, held December 2, brought together some of the most influential voices shaping the future of AECO workflows. Sessions from partners such as Bluebeam and GoCanvas filled the agenda, while some of the most meaningful exchanges happened in the spaces between. If you missed it, you missed more than a conference. You missed the thinking behind where digital practice is headed. The good news is that several sessions and conversations from Northbound will be available online.

It was in this setting that Matt Kolberg stood out by commanding a stage and by engaging people. With a career spanning more than three decades, Matt has had a lasting impact on clients across North America and within SolidCAD itself. His work has helped shape training programs, standardize workflows, and guide teams through change in a way that feels practical rather than imposed.

This article is part of SolidCAD’s TechProfiles series, where we take a closer look at the subject matter experts and thought leaders driving digital transformation across industries. These profiles focus on the people behind the platforms, the experience behind the strategy, and the human perspective that often gets lost in technical conversations.

Introduction

When you meet Matt Kolberg, two things become clear almost immediately. The first is his depth of technical expertise. The second is how approachable he is. With more than 32 years in civil engineering and consulting, Matt has witnessed the industry’s evolution from early CAD workflows to cloud-based collaboration and automation. Today, he is a Certified Technical Trainer and Civil Infrastructure Consultant at SolidCAD, known for his expertise in Civil 3D, InfraWorks, ReCap, Vehicle Tracking, and Bluebeam Revu.

Over the years, Matt has authored Autodesk training courseware, built SolidCAD’s Bluebeam programs, and developed custom LiSP and .NET tools that save clients significant time. But his work has never been about software alone. It has always been about helping people work better.

Matt has a natural ability to break down complex systems into clear, usable steps. Whether he is working with surveyors, drafters, or engineers, his focus is always on practical outcomes. That is why clients trust him to help standardize practices, adopt cloud collaboration, and move projects forward more efficiently. His passion for Civil 3D is matched by a genuine interest in the people using it, which makes every engagement both effective and memorable.

A Career That Almost Didn’t Happen

Matt did not grow up dreaming of a career in CAD. His entry into drafting was more chance than long-term plan. After high school, a friend pitched him on a college program with a simple promise: no homework, lots of computer time, and only one year of study.

“That was all I needed to hear,” Matt laughs. “I signed up, and it turned out to be the perfect fit. I liked it, I was good at it, and pretty quickly people were coming to me for help.”

That early mix of curiosity, problem-solving, and teaching set the tone for everything that followed. Matt moved from drafter to trainer to consultant, building a reputation for explaining Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and even LiSP programming in a way that made sense to real teams working on real projects. At SolidCAD, that instinct became the foundation of a career focused on training, consulting, and helping others succeed with technology.

“When I work with clients, I want to feel like I’m part of their team,” Matt explains. “We sit down together, look at their current state, and then define what they actually need to learn. It’s collaborative. We’re making those decisions together.”

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Helping Clients Connect the Dots

Ask Matt what drives him as a consultant, and the answer always comes back to collaboration. His perspective is shaped by working with dozens of organizations facing similar challenges.

“I think my view is more holistic than what any single organization can have,” he says. “I see what works across 20 or 30 companies doing similar things. If I’m working with you, I hope you can trust that broader perspective.”

Where individual firms often view their workflows in isolation, Matt sees patterns. He sees what consistently slows teams down, what scales well, and where small adjustments unlock meaningful gains. That wider lens allows him to introduce proven approaches drawn from across the industry.

One example comes from his work with a local Vancouver government design and drafting division. Surveyors were spending hours manually connecting linework, while drafters fielded constant calls to resolve inconsistencies. Matt introduced Civil 3D’s automated linework features, framing the value differently for each group. For surveyors, fewer interruptions. For drafters, cleaner data. For engineers, more reliable outputs.

“When you explain it that way, it sticks,” he says. “It’s not about the feature. It’s about the benefit.”

Watching the Technology Evolve

Matt has been working with Civil 3D since its early beta days, before its official debut in 2004. That long view gives him a grounded perspective on innovation. He appreciates progress but remains cautious about hype.

What excites him most today is how artificial intelligence is being applied with purpose rather than novelty.

“The grading optimization tool in Civil 3D is a great example,” Matt explains. “You define the rules, slopes, and constraints, and it generates a design. It doesn’t replace the engineer, but it gives you a starting point that can save hours. That’s what meaningful AI should do.”

For Matt, the real value of AI lies in handling early, time-consuming tasks so professionals can focus on judgment, refinement, and decision-making. As part of Autodesk’s beta program, he tests features months before release and provides feedback that helps shape future tools.

He also stays deeply connected to the community. At Autodesk University, he values conversations with clients as much as formal sessions. Outside of work hours, he leans into his reputation as a Civil 3D enthusiast, hosting informal evenings where engineers share workflows, trade stories, and learn together, usually over pizza and beer.

Life Beyond SolidCAD

When Matt logs off, he often heads outdoors. An avid hiker and kayaker, he has completed everything from short three-day trips to the 190-kilometre Sunshine Coast Trail, as well as Newfoundland’s East Coast Trail. Multi-day camping and kayaking trips are his way of resetting after weeks of consulting and travel.

At home, his creativity shifts to the kitchen, where a well-used wok anchors family meals. Music has also been a constant throughout his life. Guitar is his instrument of choice, and he has performed at open mic nights. On one occasion, a friend’s band even pulled him on stage. “That was a rush,” he admits. His first concert was Doug and the Slugs at Expo 86, a memory he still laughs about.

Why Clients Love Working with Matt

Clients value Matt’s deep knowledge of Civil 3D, but what keeps them coming back is how he works with them. He listens first, adapts to their reality, and frames technology in terms of outcomes that matter on the ground.

“Every team has its own way of working,” Matt says. “My job is to make the software fit that reality, not the other way around.”

It is a simple philosophy, applied consistently. And it is why Matt Kolberg’s influence extends far beyond any single project or platform. His impact lives in workflows that finally make sense, teams that feel supported, and technology that works the way it should.

The Journey Continues

Matt Kolberg approaches digital transformation the way he approaches a long trail, with patience, preparation, and respect for the terrain. He knows there are no shortcuts that do not come at a cost later, and no tools that matter if people do not understand how and why to use them. Progress is built step by step, with room to pause, reassess, and choose the right direction before moving forward.

For the teams he works with, Matt is less a guide waving from the summit than a steady presence walking beside them, reading the landscape, pointing out obstacles, and helping them find a path they can actually follow. In an industry eager to rush toward the next horizon, that quiet discipline may be the most transformative skill of all.

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