Project managers need formal training. There’s no way around it these days. Once upon a time, you could learn most of what you needed to know through the school of hard knocks, but that’s no longer the case. Today, companies expect those filling the PM role to be trained, knowledgeable experts. That’s the reason you went through your initial certification training, remember? However, the need for training doesn’t end with your certificate. It needs to go on. There are also other things you should know.
Why Bother with Ongoing Training?
You might wonder why you should bother with ongoing training if you learned what was necessary for the project manager position during your initial certification training. There are plenty of reasons that you need to stay abreast of new learning in the industry, and here are just a few:
Project Management Evolves – If you take a look at where project manage is today in regards to techniques, tools and solutions and where it was twenty years ago, there are some stark differences. It’s important to understand that project management hasn’t reached a pinnacle – it will continue to evolve and change. Your education needs to keep up with those changes and refinements.
Technology and Management Methods – Chances are good that you got a good overview of the various technological platforms used in project management, as well as the most popular management methods during your initial training. However, you can’t afford to let your knowledge stop there. New technology emerges all the time, and project management methods are changing quickly these days. The rise of Agile management is just one example here.
Company Specific Knowledge
In addition to the changes affecting project management as a whole, you’ll find that many companies have proprietary systems, platforms and solutions when it comes to in-house project management. These are not taught during your initial certification and training period. You’ll need to go through in-house training to ensure that you know what you should about the company’s specific systems.
For Your Team
As you can see from the information above, ongoing training for project managers is very important. However, it’s also important that your team members are fully trained in the skills they’ll need for their positions, as well as in other areas. For instance, teamwork, organization and initiative training are all available for team members and are also highly recommended as they can ramp up your team’s capabilities considerably.
Not all team members will require ongoing training, and it’s your job as the project manager to determine which members need what type of training and then determine how to slot that in without causing disruptions to your project. Ideally, you’ll have your team assembled well before the launch date of the project, so you can determine this before it will affect anything.
Training and knowledge are vital considerations for both project managers and their team members. Ensure that your education is up to par and that your team is fully trained.