As with any project management training decision, there are a number of factors that must be considered when deciding on the best approach for training. To help you with this, this article has set out a number of key areas that are often considered when deciding how to progress.
Is the training to enhance core competencies of staff or is to fix a specific problem?
If the training is being held to address the core competencies of staff then either an in-house course or an open course will be suitable.
However, if the training has been requested in order to fix problems that have occurred in the past, consider running an in-house course only. This is because staff will be free to discuss the lessons learnt from previous projects and identify ways to apply the training to future projects more freely amongst colleagues. Also, the experiences of other colleagues will be helpful in identifying areas to concentrate on. As part of an in-house course, the examples used in the training material can be tailored towards your specific environment. This will provide an added focus for the discussions during the course. These discussions can be enhanced by a follow up workshop which can be held after the course to identify next steps and ways in which to apply the methodology.
Do I need examination based training?
Organisations choose examination-based courses for a number of reasons.
For example:
- Staff often appreciates the opportunity to gain a recognised professional qualification as part of their development, and therefore it can help their motivation on the course.
- Client's request that staff members assigned to their projects are qualified in project management. Accredited courses with examinations give them the reassurance that your staff is qualified in UK best practice for project management.
- Productivity of the course is improved in that staff has a goal to focus their learning towards and therefore will increase their effort during the training.
Can all of the project staff be released for training at the same time?
If it is possible to get a group of 6 or more people together for the training course, then it is often more cost effective to hold an in-company course. However, one consideration must be the effect on the day to day business operation if all staff is released at once. Is there enough coverage in the department to make this possible? If not, consider sending your staff on individual 'open' courses so that their release from the office can be staggered over time.
Can we use the course for team building?
One of the advantages of an in-house course is that staff from different areas can be brought together over a number of days, giving them an opportunity to get to know one another. As everyone has a shared aim on the course (e.g. to learn the methodology and pass the exams) a team environment can rapidly be established. In this way, barriers between staff can be broken down and alliances can be forged that are translated into stronger working relationships when back in the office.
Can we hold the course on-site?
There are cost advantages of holding the course on-site as there is no need to pay to arrange a separate training venue. Also, staff knows how to get to the building and travel arrangements are therefore easier to arrange. However, a disadvantage of this approach is that staff are accessible by their colleagues and can be called away easily to deal with day to day problems. This makes running the training course extremely difficult as staff often leave a session to handle 'emergencies' that arise back in the office. If you believe that this scenario is very likely to occur in your organisation, consider holding a course at another venue.
Should I arrange post course support?
Project management training covers such a wide area of management activities that staff can gain valuable insight from regrouping after the training to review what has been learnt and how it has been applied.
On going post course support can be arranged so that staff can continue to access all of the materials from the course and use these materials in their day to day work.
What other training is available?
For senior managers and directors, it is often inappropriate to train them to a level required for examinations. Instead, introductory sessions, briefings and workshops can be held to specifically introduce the particular methodologies or skills into the organisation.
The length of these sessions can be tailored to the availability of the staff concerned. At director level, introductory briefings can be arranged that run one or two hours can be arranged. For those new to project management, introductory courses can be tailored over 1 or 2 days to equip them with a basic level of knowledge.
Following the more structured training in the methodology, many training providers also offer practical courses for example in the application of a method to a specific project.
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