Identifying Competencies for Baccalaureate Level Construction Education: Enhancing Employability of Young Professionals in the Construction Industry

Abstract

The competence of a construction program in the core area of construction project management is in imparting to its students the necessary expertise in order to practice professionally in the construction industry. The study identifies the competencies for baccalaureate level construction education in Alberta, Canada. To achieve the study objectives, a questionnaire survey was carried out to collect information on industry's perspective on construction professional competences. Responses from 32 construction industry professionals were analyzed. The results suggest that the construction acumen, project management and leadership, business acumen, professionalism, and communications were considered as the most important (top five) and desirable competencies for baccalaureate level construction education. Other important competencies include building techniques, international project management, research, cost management, conflict resolution, ability to learn, contracts management, risk management, teamwork, and technological competency, procurement management. It is recommended that the breadth and depth of the core's syllabi ensures sufficient coverage of fundamental and extended topics on construction project management. Construction programs should help to equip our students better to participate in the local and global construction industries that await them. The findings from this study would also be valuable for all academicians and researchers involved in the area of academic development in general.