Because of a “growing interest in project management training and [Project Management Professional] certification in the government sector,” Boston University plans to expand the program to include process management classes in Washington D.C., according to Corporate Education Center Management Development Programs Director Gina Westcott.
BUCEC offers project management programs through day, evening and internet classes. Throughout June, BUCEC will offer four five-day Project Management Fast Track training sessions in the Washington, D.C. area. These sessions will help project managers “understand and pull together all the knowledge areas and processes of project management necessary to plan and execute, control and close successful projects,” while preparing them to take the Project Management Professional Certification Exam, according to BUCEC’s website, Butrain.com.
Project management involves leading a team to achieve a specific goal. The Fast Track Program helps students develop skills in negotiations, communications, cost management and scheduling.
“Effective project management helps to ensure projects are completed in a specific timeframe and within a specific budget,” Westcott said in an email, “and that the end product of the project meets the requirements of the stakeholders.”
The Fast Track Program teaches students to be productive members of teams, as well as strong and efficient leaders. It involves a case study and activities, which allow students to have hands-on experience with project management.
“A good project manager leads to success,” School of Management professor Stephen Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal, who teaches an MBA elective class on project management at Boston University, said that project management skills are important in the business field.
“Everyone in the business field should have management skills because so much of the work that gets done in service organizations, manufacturing organizations, software companies, government and non-profit organizations is accomplished by project teams,” he said.
It is common for the government to echo business techniques that are successful in the private sector, Rosenthal said.
“The growing importance in government is typical in that the government adopts management techniques after they are important in the private sector,” he said.
