CPE offers workshop on in-demand discipline
Certification in project management is rapidly becoming one of the most sought-after credentials for today’s business professionals, and Corporate and Professional Education (CPE) is meeting the challenge with an open-enrollment workshop on project management. It will run five consecutive Mondays, March 3–31, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Courtyard by Marriott in Marlborough.
WORKSHOP PERKS
The program, which explores a wide range of project management topics, is open to the WPI community and the public, says Jody Reis, manager of professional education for CPE. Project management is the process and activity of planning, organizing, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals, explains Reis, who adds that the workshop can have immediate and long-term benefits for participants.
“A unique feature of this program,” she says, “is the use of case studies, allowing the participants to immediately apply the learnings from each course to real-life business scenarios.”
Successful project planning and execution, she notes, requires specific tools, techniques, and processes to help manage change, drive competitive advantage, and deliver results in support of corporate strategy. Businesses normally change and adapt to their competitive environment by implementing projects to achieve strategic initiatives.
“Unfortunately, many projects are late, are financially overrun, or fail to deliver on business objectives,” she says. “When a company recently asked for justification for the training, our instructor simply said, ‘What’s the cost of getting your product to market second – and not first?’”
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Reis says the program is geared toward professionals who have shown some interest in project management for their organization, whether it’s their main function, part of other responsibilities, or an area they might be considering for growth or future opportunities.
Upon completing the program, participants are awarded certification in project management from WPI.
“The project management certificate has been designed for those project management professionals who want to make a significant contribution to their organization by successfully managing projects that will make a positive business impact,” she says. She adds that the training includes a focus on best practices as outlined in Project Management Body of Knowledge from the Project Management Institute and will cover these key topics:
- Principles of project management methodology
- Project management planning and scheduling: Setting boundaries and planning techniques
- Project leadership and communications: Leading the project team
- Project risk management: Forecast, monitor, and mitigate risk
- Project execution and control: Running the project, and project pitfalls
Reis believes programs such as this demonstrate the breadth and depth of offerings that WPI contributes to working professionals, while expanding the university’s portfolio of educational opportunities.
The workshop will be led by Kanan Alhassani, president of Integrated Management Associates, a management consulting services firm that focuses on helping companies optimize their project and product development processes. Alhassani has more than 15 years’ experience in training and consulting in project management for a wide range of industries.
Seats are still available, and more information is available here. Those interested in participating in the workshop may register online.
