Business, Commerce and Management Studies Project Management

Technical Support for Project Estimating Services Training

SAQA US 244556 | NQF 4 | Credits 9 | Duration 6 Days
From $1,382 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the skills to provide effective technical support for project estimating services, ensuring accurate cost and resource estimations. It covers the use of estimating tools, data analysis, and communication with project teams to enhance project planning and control.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply estimating techniques to support project cost and resource calculations.
  • Analyze historical data and project specifications to inform estimating decisions.
  • Evaluate the accuracy of estimates using variance analysis and benchmarking.
  • Implement estimating software and tools to improve efficiency and consistency.
  • Demonstrate effective communication with project stakeholders regarding estimate assumptions and limitations.
  • Design estimating support processes that align with organisational project management frameworks.

Target Audience

This course is designed for project support staff, estimators, and junior project managers who are responsible for assisting with project estimating functions in corporate or engineering environments.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Project Estimating and Technical Support

Objectives:
• Understand the role of technical support in project estimating
• Identify key principles of project cost estimation
• Recognise different types of estimates and their purposes
• Describe the project lifecycle and where estimating fits
• Explain the importance of accuracy in estimating

Topics:
• Overview of project estimating services
• Role of technical support in the estimating process
• Types of estimates: order of magnitude, budgetary, definitive
• Project lifecycle phases and estimating touchpoints
• Key terminology in cost estimation
• Factors affecting estimate accuracy
• Introduction to estimating standards and best practices

Day 2: Data Collection and Analysis for Estimating

Objectives:
• Gather and verify data required for estimates
• Analyse historical data and benchmarks
• Use basic statistical methods for data analysis
• Identify sources of cost data
• Document data assumptions and limitations

Topics:
• Data sources: internal records, industry databases, vendor quotes
• Data verification techniques
• Historical data analysis and normalisation
• Introduction to statistical analysis for estimators
• Handling incomplete or uncertain data
• Documenting assumptions and exclusions
• Practical exercise: collecting sample data

Day 3: Estimating Techniques and Methods

Objectives:
• Apply parametric estimating techniques
• Use analogous estimating for quick assessments
• Develop bottom-up estimates using work breakdown structure
• Understand three-point estimating for risk adjustment
• Select appropriate method based on project context

Topics:
• Parametric estimating: cost per unit models
• Analogous estimating using similar projects
• Bottom-up estimating with WBS
• Three-point estimating (PERT)
• Expert judgment and Delphi technique
• Vendor bid analysis
• Choosing the right method
• Practical exercise: applying two methods

Day 4: Costing, Pricing, and Budgeting

Objectives:
• Calculate direct and indirect costs
• Apply markup and profit margins
• Develop a project budget from estimates
• Understand cost escalation and contingency
• Prepare a cost summary report

Topics:
• Direct costs: labour, materials, equipment
• Indirect costs: overheads, general and administrative
• Pricing strategies: cost-plus, fixed price
• Contingency and management reserve
• Escalation and inflation factors
• Budget formulation and approval
• Cost summary report structure
• Practical exercise: building a budget

Day 5: Risk Assessment and Estimate Validation

Objectives:
• Identify risks that affect cost estimates
• Quantify risk impacts using sensitivity analysis
• Apply risk mitigation strategies
• Validate estimates through peer review and benchmarking
• Adjust estimates based on risk findings

Topics:
• Risk identification for cost estimation
• Qualitative and quantitative risk analysis
• Sensitivity analysis and tornado diagrams
• Monte Carlo simulation overview
• Risk mitigation and contingency planning
• Estimate validation techniques
• Peer review and independent cost estimates
• Practical exercise: risk-adjusted estimate

Day 6: Reporting, Communication, and Ethics

Objectives:
• Prepare professional estimate reports
• Communicate estimates effectively to stakeholders
• Maintain ethical standards in estimating
• Apply quality assurance processes
• Integrate technical support into project controls

Topics:
• Estimate report format and content
• Presenting estimates to management
• Ethical considerations and confidentiality
• Quality assurance and continuous improvement
• Role of technical support in change management
• Integration with project controls and scheduling
• Final assessment and course wrap-up

Practicals

16 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

Practical sessions allow learners to apply estimating techniques using real-world scenarios and sample data. Learners will practice data collection, cost calculation, budgeting, and risk adjustment in a supervised environment, culminating in a complete estimate report.

Practical Activities
  • Data Collection and Analysis Exercise — Learners gather cost data from provided sources, verify its accuracy, and perform basic analysis to prepare for estimating. (4h)
  • Applying Estimating Techniques — Learners apply parametric and bottom-up estimating methods to a sample project, calculating costs for labour, materials, and equipment. (4h)
  • Budget Development and Risk Adjustment — Learners build a project budget from their estimate, add contingency based on risk analysis, and produce a cost summary. (4h)
  • Estimate Report and Presentation — Learners compile a professional estimate report and present their findings to the group for feedback and validation. (4h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Fri 11 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,382 Register
Thu 01 Oct 2026 Thu 08 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,382 Register
Wed 21 Oct 2026 Wed 28 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,382 Register
Wed 09 Dec 2026 Wed 16 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,382 Register
Tue 12 Jan 2027 Tue 19 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,382 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Mon 22 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,382 Register
Fri 05 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,382 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,382 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Wed 24 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,382 Register
Tue 08 Jun 2027 Tue 15 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,382 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Mon 05 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,382 Register
Fri 23 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,382 Register
Thu 09 Sep 2027 Thu 16 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,382 Register
Wed 29 Sep 2027 Wed 06 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,382 Register
Tue 19 Oct 2027 Tue 26 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,382 Register
Wed 08 Dec 2027 Wed 15 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,382 Register
Tue 28 Dec 2027 Tue 04 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,382 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Mon 24 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,382 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 499 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Fri 31 Jul 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $4,180 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Mon 10 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $5,584 Register
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,074 Register
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Lagos, Nigeria Winter 2026 $4,828 Register
Wed 05 Aug 2026 Wed 12 Aug 2026 Johannesburg, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,938 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Mon 21 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Fri 09 Oct 2026 Fri 16 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Thu 29 Oct 2026 Thu 05 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Thu 17 Dec 2026 Thu 24 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Wed 20 Jan 2027 Wed 27 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Tue 23 Feb 2027 Tue 02 Mar 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Mon 15 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 19 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 25 Mar 2027 Thu 01 Apr 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 16 Jun 2027 Wed 23 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Tue 06 Jul 2027 Tue 13 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Mon 02 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 17 Sep 2027 Fri 24 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 07 Oct 2027 Thu 14 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 27 Oct 2027 Wed 03 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 16 Dec 2027 Thu 23 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 05 Jan 2028 Wed 12 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Tue 25 Jan 2028 Tue 01 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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