Professional skills : a pilot study and report on cross professional competencies

Background This study reports on those competencies used in common by different professional groups. In depth interviews, a questionnaire to four diverse professions -- engineering, nursing, human resource management (HRM) and law -- and a literature review were used to build a profile of these competencies. Graduate professionals and students were targeted.

Theoretical Background The study draws on literature encompassing two major areas: professionals and students. Collectively they cover managers, executives, doctors, nurses, trainers and graduates, apprentices and tertiary students. Literature was limited in some areas such as law and was mainly sourced from Western speaking countries.

Key Findings Results suggest that those skills common to the four professions surveyed and to those assessed in the literature were communication/relationship/social skills and problem solving skills. Task management was considered most important by respondents in the survey but was not emphasised in the literature.

Discussion This study has taken the first step toward developing a profile of competencies common across professions. Further research encompassing hard data will need to be carried out nationally to build a fuller picture of the profile.