For projects to be successful, the team working on them should be well-versed in applying the project management framework. Awareness of the PM framework at a grassroots level is the best way to get started to ensure students understand how theory and practice work together to solve real-world problems. They develop problem-solving skills by critically analyzing various scenarios. This will enable the creation of knowledgeable project managers at a very early stage in life, benefitting the projects on which they work, organizations where they work, and themselves to have their careers.
While I know PMIEF and many organizations are working towards this goal, additional efforts may be needed to raise awareness in schools across geographies at all sections of communities. This behaves like "herd immunity," where injecting the vaccine into a critical mass of individuals helps build immunity in the community.
I would like to know your thoughts on how can we make an effective PM education program for students..a mandatory life skill for them. Saving Changes...
I think it starts by having curriculum owners recognize the importance of basic PM awareness and then look to see how it can be integrated into the learning process as opposed to being tacked on the way other important topics have been addressed in the past.
It would also require that teachers' education is expanded to include this.
What would be great is for an education minister to champion this in one country or state, get some tangible results from the changes and then share the learnings with their peers in other locations.
Till this happens, we will unfortunately only see scattered approaches and true grassroots (i.e. parent-driven) learning.
Kiron Bondale , I so agree with you. PM has to be a way of thinking just as we have the basic school curriculum such as first language, second language, social studies, science, math etc. I agree that PM needs to be integrated into a routine curriculum and not shown as a separate optional track. Is there a way we can have it as a proposal to the education ministry at a 1st to 12th grade level to at least propose this idea? may be have a small pilot even in a region of a state done? I would be willing to be a part of such a project if there is a way.
Thanks for your valuable input Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
Hi Deepa,
Grassroots perspectives of “project management” may be better sold to institutions through a program that provides students with graduated life skills. Although based on project management principles, these skills offer immediate value to students wherever they are in life. However, if they progress through the entire program, those life-management skills will map to project-management framework-based skills.
For instance, the graduated life skills program may progress through the following:
[A] problem-solving skills
[B] leadership skills
[C] project-life skills
As you can see, project management is “softly sold” under this approach to make it digestible/understandable to a more extensive set of society.
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Mar 11, 2024 12:55 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
...
Hi George Freeman , I agree with you on the slightly different "flavor" of the PM skills..making them immediately digestible and usable too. I wonder if there is a champion for this? would there have been a pilot done? I am sure in silo these programs must exist in many places...but tying them solidly to the PM framework may be missing. Would love to know more details if available. Thanks for your valuable comment.
Saving Changes...
William M Hayden JrAdjunct Assistant Professor| University at Buffalo, School of Management, Operations Management & StrategyBuffalo, Ny, United States
Dr. Deepa,
Q. "How can we make an effective PM education program. . .."
A. Include educational courses beyond tech.
i.e., Proactive Listening, Collaboration, Cooperation, Commnication.
e.g., Teach students, when confronted with a challenge to their work, to first say:
"Tell memore.... please.
Cheers,
Bill
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Mar 11, 2024 12:57 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
...
Thanks Bill. i agree with you. I am looking at building a structured curriculum directly or indirectly relating to the PM framework to be taught at the grassroots school/vocational education level. I agree with you that the skills you listed would be a part of that program. Thanks for your comment.
Grassroots perspectives of “project management” may be better sold to institutions through a program that provides students with graduated life skills. Although based on project management principles, these skills offer immediate value to students wherever they are in life. However, if they progress through the entire program, those life-management skills will map to project-management framework-based skills.
For instance, the graduated life skills program may progress through the following:
[A] problem-solving skills
[B] leadership skills
[C] project-life skills
As you can see, project management is “softly sold” under this approach to make it digestible/understandable to a more extensive set of society.
Hi George Freeman , I agree with you on the slightly different "flavor" of the PM skills..making them immediately digestible and usable too. I wonder if there is a champion for this? would there have been a pilot done? I am sure in silo these programs must exist in many places...but tying them solidly to the PM framework may be missing. Would love to know more details if available. Thanks for your valuable comment. Saving Changes...
Dr. Deepa,
Q. "How can we make an effective PM education program. . .."
A. Include educational courses beyond tech.
i.e., Proactive Listening, Collaboration, Cooperation, Commnication.
e.g., Teach students, when confronted with a challenge to their work, to first say:
"Tell memore.... please.
Cheers,
Bill
Thanks Bill. i agree with you. I am looking at building a structured curriculum directly or indirectly relating to the PM framework to be taught at the grassroots school/vocational education level. I agree with you that the skills you listed would be a part of that program. Thanks for your comment. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Deepa, my thoughts are in line with Kiron's. I truly believe that properly integrating Project Management basics into the education cirriculum at an early stage in school could be beneficial for the future of both, the students and the profession!
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Mar 12, 2024 12:05 AM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
...
Rami Kaibni , I so totally agree with you. Wonder if any concrete steps are being taken around this. I may not be aware but I would like to know. Thanks
Deepa, my thoughts are in line with Kiron's. I truly believe that properly integrating Project Management basics into the education cirriculum at an early stage in school could be beneficial for the future of both, the students and the profession!
Rami Kaibni , I so totally agree with you. Wonder if any concrete steps are being taken around this. I may not be aware but I would like to know. Thanks Saving Changes...
Consultant| Canarys Automation LtdBangalore, Karnataka, India
Dr. Deepa Bhide - Back in Feb 2020s I was offered a Volunteer position for a Program named "Academic Relations". I was a member of PMIBangalore then. The primary objective of this was to reach out to Colleges in Bengaluru and make the faculty and students aware of the importance of having PM skills ingrained in our lives. At that time this was led by "Selva Cangatharan". This program was shelved after Covid set in. Just wanted to share that efforts on these lines were made in the past.
I have always thought that PM Skills cannot just be confined to Office Space. They are universal and can be utilized very well anywhere.
One of the biggest and most critical waterfall, fixed-price projects I've managed in my life was organizing my sister's (younger) marriage in 2016. I developed project plans, allocated the budget, and tracked all constraints until completion. :-)
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Mar 12, 2024 8:01 AM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
...
Thanks Ashwin Kumar H M . Thanks for the information and congratulations on the students program you mentioned. PMi Pearl City Chapter has a similar program called International Student Leadership Initiative. I think this needs to be formalized as it is mostly treated as a "candy". Formalization and bringing in the routine educational curriculum is what is required in my opinion. Thanks for your comment.
Dr. Deepa Bhide - Back in Feb 2020s I was offered a Volunteer position for a Program named "Academic Relations". I was a member of PMIBangalore then. The primary objective of this was to reach out to Colleges in Bengaluru and make the faculty and students aware of the importance of having PM skills ingrained in our lives. At that time this was led by "Selva Cangatharan". This program was shelved after Covid set in. Just wanted to share that efforts on these lines were made in the past.
I have always thought that PM Skills cannot just be confined to Office Space. They are universal and can be utilized very well anywhere.
One of the biggest and most critical waterfall, fixed-price projects I've managed in my life was organizing my sister's (younger) marriage in 2016. I developed project plans, allocated the budget, and tracked all constraints until completion. :-)
Thanks Ashwin Kumar H M . Thanks for the information and congratulations on the students program you mentioned. PMi Pearl City Chapter has a similar program called International Student Leadership Initiative. I think this needs to be formalized as it is mostly treated as a "candy". Formalization and bringing in the routine educational curriculum is what is required in my opinion. Thanks for your comment. Saving Changes...
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