Certificate Program Essentials of Project Management

Transcription

1 Certificate Program Essentials of Project Management

2 KNOWLEDGE WILL BRING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. - CLAIRE FAGIN

3 Certificate Program ABOUT the PROGRAM MCA of Chicago is pleased to announce the rollout of its new, updated Essentials of Project Management Certificate Program. This program is built on one of the oldest and most successful programs in the country -- a program that has been in place since 2001 and has graduated almost 100 project managers. The new program is intended to be more comprehensive, with an Essentials, Intermediate, and Masters level of study. Constructed with the guidance of educators Dr. Russ Rogers, DePaul University, Dr. John Koontz, formerly of Purdue University and head of the MCAA National Education Institute, and Dr. Blake Wentz of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, the Essentials level opens for enrollment in the fall of this year. It features 72 hours of the highest quality classroom instruction, and is intended to be completed in no more than two years. Details of the Intermediate and Masters levels will be released in Classes will be taught by university-level instructors and/or those acknowledged as highly experienced project management professionals. For certain units, outside professionals, such as construction attorneys, may also be utilized. For those of you who have already started under the previous program, don t worry, you will be grandfathered in and will be able to finish the old program in the next couple of years. You also have the option of starting the new program if you so choose. The new outline will make sure attendees have core skills like communications, labor, legal, dealing with change orders, and project close-out. In recognition of this, new graduates will be getting a certificate of completion that lists the core skills. Other new elements require candidates to complete a formal application that ensures they are ready for the program, and are willing to commit fully to it. The core training will take place while advanced levels are being developed. 1

4 LEARN MORE AT: MCA.ORG/PROJECT-MANAGEMENT FACULTY JOHN R. KOONTZ Koontz has over 30 years of wide-ranging mechanical industry experience that includes contracting, academics, and consulting. He is a former Tenured Associate Professor in Purdue University s Department of Building Construction Management. He is also the founder and former director of Purdue s Mechanical Construction Management Specialization Program. In addition to his academic career, he spent 15 years in the employment of MCAA contractors in a variety of positions including senior project manager, project manager, project engineer, and estimator and Koontz is the founder of the first ever MCAA student chapter which was started at Purdue in Professor Koontz s family heritage of long-term UA family members (grandfather, great uncle, and father) provides a sincere and deep-rooted pride, interest, and concern for the future success and survival of all parties involved in union mechanical construction. DAVID ASHCRAFT Ashcraft specializes in the training area of financial management. His expertise is taking normally torturous subject matter and converting the content to be educational, engaging, and entertaining. He custom designs and delivers training and keynote speeches for business networks, associations, and banks. Ashcraft has been a highly-rated faculty member at Graduate School of Banking Colorado, Southwestern Graduate School of Banking and Graduate School of Banking LSU. He received his BA from Washington State University and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School, where he later served as an associate director. RUSS ROGERS, Ph.D MCA is honored to have Dr. Russ Rogers of DePaul University as our Construction Education Institute advisor. We are thrilled to be able to draw upon Dr. Rogers expertise and knowledge in our efforts to develop and provide our membership with quality programs and seminars. Dr. Rogers is an organizational behavior specialist specializing in human performance improvement, change management, leadership, and organizational effectiveness. Russ genuine concern for his clients and students has been instrumental in his ability to help them achieve their goals. PARTNERSHIP DIRECTIONS TRAINING 2625 Butterfield Rd. Suite 209E, Oak Brook, Illinois Since 1991, Directions Training has been successfully educating IT and business professionals worldwide. They offer an extensive selection of IT and business skills courses that are customized to meet the participants needs. 2 Directions Training makes it easy to acquire the training and certifications you need by offering the widest selection of technology and business solutions. We offer training and certifications for all major technology vendors, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, Citrix, Oracle, CompTIA, Project Management and much more.

5 PROGRAM CURRICULUM 72 total hours needed to achieve certification DAY CLASS/TOPIC HOURS DATES INSTRUCTOR Day 1 Planning Skills for the Project Team 8 Friday, 9/25/2015 John R. Koontz Day 2 Productivity Improvement Saturday, 9/26/2015 John R. Koontz Day 2 Job Cost Control Saturday, 9/26/2015 John R. Koontz Day 3 PM s Impact on Financial Outcomes 8 Wednesday, 10/7/2015 David Ashcraft Day Contract Basics Friday, 10/30/2015 John R. Koontz Day Documentation Friday, 10/30/2015 John R. Koontz Day 5 Change Order Management 8 Saturday, 10/31/2015 John R. Koontz Day 6 Const. Scheduling Software Training 8 Thursday, 1/7/2016 Directions Training Day 7 Const. Scheduling Software Training 8 Thursday, 1/21/2016 Directions Training Day 8 Basic Negotiation Skills Friday, 3//2016 John R. Koontz Day 8 Mechanical Scheduling Friday, 3//2016 John R. Koontz Day 9 Essential Management Skills Saturday, 3/5/2016 John R. Koontz Day 9 Project Closeout Saturday, 3/5/2016 John R. Koontz COURSE DESCRIPTION = number of hours per course Fundamentals for Project Managers Planning Skills for the Project Team, Productivity Improvement, Job Cost Control, Contract Basics, and Documentation Project management is a pivotal responsibility on every job. Yet, until recently, there was very little training for existing project managers, especially those just starting out. This course is designed for project managers who have less than five years of project management experience, those with little or no formal project management training, or employees who are not presently project managers but have the potential to become project managers. This intensive four-day course will review all the basics of project management including: material management and site planning, conducting an effective turnover meeting, pre-construction planning, job cost control, project billings and maintaining positive cash flow, understanding and using the contract, managing change orders, and project documentation. Registration is limited to 20. Participants must attend all four days of classes. 32 Project Manager s Impact on Financial Outcomes Project managers will have FUN as they work through a case study and uncover the math mystery buried in the WIP. They will calculate each column by hand to see where the numbers come from and recognize which numbers provide key information. The key information will spotlight problems and opportunities contained within the numbers of a financial report. Project managers will increase their financial fluency and be able to communicate more effectively to get the right information to make their projects more profitable. 8 3

6 LEARN MORE AT: MCA.ORG/PROJECT-MANAGEMENT Construction Scheduling Software Training The use of software in construction CPM scheduling has become more prevalent in recent years. Packages such as Primavera and Microsoft Project are becoming necessary tools for project managers. This has become even more important as electronic data becomes more integrated. You will be required to take 16 hours of approved training. We will provide training options for both Primavera and Microsoft Project. Coursework will include setting up a project, working with tasks, resources, costs and conflicts. 16 Basic Negotiation Skills Increased pressure on project managers is driven by shorter schedules, less information and higher demands on performance. This requires us to put more effort into guarding our interests and striving to get what is fair. This seminar provides insights on the topics of interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, negotiation skills, and how to improve and optimize the outcome. Improve and develop these skill sets and learn the practical application of negotiation principles. Mechanical Scheduling Attendees of this session will learn the basic steps to follow in scheduling project activities. You will learn how bar charts can help the project team visualize the sequence and duration of events and plan manpower loading. In addition, attendees will be introduced to more detailed network scheduling techniques (the critical path method). Essential Management Skills This session offers an opportunity to learn the unique, basic management skills of the mechanical project manager. Participants will gain an understanding of the essential traits, skills, and behaviors that allow effective management. Topics include: leadership and management skills; management ability vs. technical savvy; the importance of organization and standardization; motivating others to perform; managing the boss; delegation skills; communication skills; and working with difficult people. Project Closeout The end of a project is usually a challenging and difficult time for the mechanical project manager and the foreman. Unfortunately there is no magic formula, wand, or pill for eliminating the difficulty of project closeout. There are, however, several tactics and strategies the project manager and foreman can implement to improve end-of-job performance and mitigate the difficulties of project closeout. In addition to a review of innovative methods used by MCAA contractors to help reduce the typical end of project profit/productivity drain, this session will include the following project closeout topics: Punch list Warranties As-built drawings O & M manuals Customer satisfaction Closeout productivity improvement Demobilization Change order finalization Final payment Feedback meeting

7 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Additional questions can be directed to Q: How long does it take to finish the certificate program? A: The program is designed for most people to complete in one year. Q: What if I can t make every session? A: We d prefer that everyone attend every session. If you miss a session you will have to wait until the next year to make it up. Q: Do I lose CEU (hours) from previous PMR programs that I ve already taken? A: Not if you have started the program before September Then you will be grandfathered in until the end of In this case you have a little over 2 years to complete enough hours to satisfy the original program. After that you will need to comply with the requirements of the new program. Q: I am proficient in a construction scheduling software. Can I skip this software training program? A: Since we have no fair way to feasibly test everyone s skills you must still take the prescribed course or approved equivalents. Q: What does going through Essentials of Project Management do for me? A: MCA/CEI EPM program is widely recognized in our industry. Completion of the program prepares you for further and faster advancement in your job, with greater prospects for your future in the industry. Am I eligible? The Essentials Level is open to persons with any degree of project management experience; however, because some classes are only offered on workdays, participants will need to be sponsored by their Employer. Classes are limited to the first 20 persons who apply and are accepted. How do I sign up? Applicants are required to submit an application signed by themselves and their Employers indicating that they understand that the Essentials Level consists of nine eight-hour class days (offered over nine months), and pledging their commitment to attend all sessions as scheduled (participants who are forced to miss one session may make it up the following year). Persons who have previously taken one or more of the units that make up the Essentials Level may be allowed to opt out. What s the cost? There is a one-time fee of $95, to be submitted with the application. Employees of MCA member companies who complete the program will receive a $200 reimbursement upon completion. Where does this program take place? All seminars will be held at the MCA Construction Education Institute located at 7065 Veterans Blvd., Burr Ridge, Illinois except for Microsoft Project. Microsoft Project will be held at Directions Training, 2625 Butterfield Rd. Suite 209E, Oak Brook, Illinois. 5

8 Certificate Program CURRICULUM TASK FORCE Mike McCombie George Englebrecht Gary Statdfield Kathy McCauley Jim McCauley, Jr. Brian Teyema Marc Pittas, Ex-Officio VISIT MCA.ORG/PROJECT-MANAGEMENT FOR MORE DETAILS