Critical IT Project Management Competencies: Aligning Instructional Outcomes with Industry Expectations

Academic computing curricula generally focus on teaching the specific technological skills expected of new graduates in their disciplines. Yet when it comes to hiring these graduates, behavioral skills (also called soft skills) such as communication and personal integrity are almost always rated as being more important than the technological skills. This mixed-method research project adds to the understanding of skill expectations required for new hires by providing information from a global sample of project management professionals. Both the quantitative and qualitative results are in accord with the vast majority of the extant literature in that behavioral skills were seen as more critical than technical skills. Implications and recommendations for educators, curriculum developers, and prospective graduates are discussed.