CPM Africa launches unique project management training concept

CPM Africa is set to launch its unique project management training in Gauteng. On offer are three courses - a two-day Project Management Best Practice course, a Certificate in Project Management at NQF level 5 and a Diploma in Project Management at NQF level 6. The first certificate level courses are scheduled to take place in October 2003.

These courses are unique in that they run in a workshop format and make use of current projects that delegates are working on. Not only does this ensure that what you learn is relevant and is immediately applied to your projects, it also means that the time you spend in training is contributing to progress on your projects. In addition to learning specific project management techniques and practices, you also establish a group of professional colleagues with whom you can share knowledge on an ongoing basis.

Another feature of CPM Africa courses is that they are facilitated by practicing project managers who have lived through the challenges of managing real projects. They speak the language of project managers and understand the challenges of matching theory to practice.

CPM Africa has been accredited as a training provider by the Services Education and Training Quality Assurance Authority. The courses are based on courses developed by CPMG Australia and offered by the Australian College of Project Management. The courses have been developed by analysing projects across a wide range of industries and determining the competencies required to manage projects to world best practice standards. The courses are constantly evaluated and updated.

CPM Africa aims to be as flexible as possible, with training offered face-to-face, on-line, via interactive CD or through distance education. Programs are available through attendance on public courses or can be customised for in-house delivery. For customised courses, CPM Africa will schedule training at a time to suit your organisation and the courses can be delivered in intensive blocks or with individual topics spread over a number of weeks. The aim is to minimise disruption to your projects. Should your company require it, CPM Africa will provide `Train the Trainer` programs to enable you to continue with project management training in-house.

CPM Africa offers training courses, programs and workshops for every person involved with projects. Staff at every level (business, portfolio/program, project or operations) will benefit from attending a training solution designed to address their needs.

Managing Director of CPM Africa, Paul Viviers elaborates: "Obviously a standalone training program is not going to solve your project management problems. We support the training program by offering needs analysis to identify the skills needed by project staff. We also offer workplace mentoring to ensure that the skills and knowledge are being applied once staff are back on the job."

Assessment for the certificate and diploma courses is competency-based and is designed to minimise disruption to the work environment. For the Diploma course, delegates also complete an examination. Evidence of current skills and knowledge is measured against national and international standards of best practice. Furthermore, the assessment is concerned with how the delegate applies the skills and knowledge in the workplace, not in the training room or in a hypothetical case study.

Delegates submit a `portfolio of evidence` which consists of collected documents that show how the relevant skills and knowledge are being applied to a project that they are working on. Delegates decide when they are ready to be assessed and assessment is carried out by an assigned mentor.

CPM Africa is a complete project and portfolio management solutions house offering a range of services designed to assist companies in growing the maturity of project management practices. They deliver, develop and customise methodologies and procedures as well as supplying and implementing a range of software tools, including Portfolio Edge 2.0.

For enquiries and bookings, telephone (011) 807 9292 or e-mail training@cpmafrica.co.za.