Competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa

The ability of the quantity surveying profession to meet changing client needs and to grow the market for quantity surveying services depends on the knowledge base of the profession. A competency-based assessment of the quantity surveying profession is therefore relevant in the changing built environment. The relative importance of current and future competencies required by quantity surveyors, and the gaps between important competencies and current proficiency levels are reported. A questionnaire developed from the literature and depth interviews of selected practitioners was completed by 150 practitioners from a proportional stratified random sample of professional quantity surveyors in South Africa. The results reveal that technically orientated competencies are rated highest in current importance. Future important competencies, however, are more management orientated. Low proficiency levels suggest strategic focus on imparting project management, marketing and advanced financial management competencies. Factor analysis indicates four underlying groupings of surveyed competencies which are represented in a model. These categories are presented as an alternative perspective on the competencies of quantity surveyors. The categorisation is helpful in the assessment of course content for the education and training of quantity surveyors.