THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TASK INVENTORY FOR BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT (EDUCATION, CURRICULUM

The purpose of the study was to identify an inventory of relevant tasks which, if mastered, would improve the probability that a graduate of a baccalaureate program in construction management would be prepared to meet the needs of the construction industry. The study also sought to determine the importance and frequency of occurrence of the tasks. A task analysis technique was used to identify and rate the tasks.;Data on the importance and the frequency of occurrence of 161 tasks identified by an advisory committee were obtained by a mailed questionnaire. The sample of respondents consisted of 43 recent graduates of construction education programs and 50 supervisors of those graduates employed by 18 construction companies in North Carolina and South Carolina.;The tasks which were identified represented a broad range of job duties and responsibilities, such as: (1) estimating; (2) project administration, including operations and control; (3) project leadership/supervision; (4) project expediting; (5) field engineering; and (6) project planning and scheduling.;Based on the ratings of importance and frequency of occurrence, the tasks that are most important for successful performance of job duties are tasks requiring competence or skill in estimating, project administration, and project leadership/supervision. The tasks that are least important for successful performance of job duties are tasks requiring competence or skill in project planning and scheduling. In addition, tasks requiring competence or skill in surveying are the only highly technical or design-oriented tasks which clearly merit emphasis in baccalaureate programs in construction management.