CoLAB is a leading project implementation company that prides itself in delivering project success. It differentiates itself through its people, approach and capability.
Competent project management practitioners are a key enabler of project success, but there is a shortage of skilled and competent project management resources relative to the market needs.
While many organisations are utilising project management principles to deliver on strategic business and operational objectives, their people often lack a basic theoretical understanding and practical application of what project management entails to deliver projects successfully.
"The CoLAB Learning Academy builds on our experience in projects by offering theoretically sound but practical, interactive and outcomes-based learning interventions aimed at improving project management practices and likelihood of project success. Our training solutions are relevant, cost-efficient and continuously improved based on feedback from our project management practitioners operating in the field, and course participants," says Dave Liebenberg, Director and Head of the CoLAB Learning Academy. "Our training focuses on experiencing the practical application of theory to confidently apply the learnings in the work environment"
CoLAB offers a range of learning interventions aimed at project management practitioners across the various project disciplines, including project and PMO management and administration.
CoLAB has also teamed up with North West University (NWU) to offer a Short Learning Programme in Project Management and Public Sector Project Management. These programmes are unique and expose learners to the latest theory on project management best practice and principles.
"A key differentiating factor of the short learning programmes is that learners get the opportunity to apply sound theory and well-accepted project management standards to real life project simulations, where they are required to develop a project through all of its life cycle phases, and experience all the dynamics of working in a project team in a practical and developmental environment," says Liebenberg.
CoLAB and NWU have developed a Short Learning Programme aimed specifically at the public sector, where they believe there is a real need for developing project management skills. In his Budget Vote for 2012, the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, particularly referred to the need for government to improve its project management knowledge and skills to ensure that capital and infrastructure projects are completed within the specified timeframes and budgets. This certainly highlights the need for skilled project and programme managers that would play a critical role within this sphere.
Willem Mostert, Manager: Office for Short Learning Programmes and Professional Development at NWU, adds that the university is particularly focused on training potential project and programme managers, more specifically for the local sphere of government.
"NWU is supporting CoLAB in its endeavours as we believe that courses like the SLP in Public Sector Project Management can assist in addressing South Africa's skills shortage. CoLAB is the ideal private sector partner, due to its solid reputation within the project management space," says Mostert.
The short learning programmes are structured to accommodate both evening and daytime classes. An in-house option is also available to organisations wishing to introduce employees to the programme. The evening classes can be completed within 13 weeks (three hours of evening classes per week), while the daytime classes can be completed within six weeks. At the end of the course, learners, who are split into project teams at the beginning of the course, will then present their assignments and individually write an examination to confirm that they have met the learning objectives of the programme. Whereas the academic quality and integrity is overseen by the NWU, the implementation of the programme is done by the CoLAB Learning Academy in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
The programme is aligned to Unit Standards. Successful candidates will therefore receive a credit-bearing certificate from NWU. The course content was compiled by respected consultant, author and project management visionary, Bobby Keller, and is based on Rory Burke's reputable "Project Management Techniques" textbook.
All courses are presented by experienced facilitators with years of experience in project management.
For course availability and cost information, please contact the CoLAB Learning Academy.
Tel: +27 86 111 4576
E-mail: learningacademy@colabpi.co.za.
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