Where’s the training for A/E project managers?

Press Release: August 5, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (August 5, 2011) – The 2011 Project Management Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning, & Environmental Consulting Firms exposes a serious reality in the A/E/P and environmental industry. Firm leaders and project managers acknowledge a dire need for training while ironically cutting back on the investment. The survey shows that only 40 percent of firms provide voluntary training, 35 percent provide mandatory training, and a whopping 25 percent provide absolutely no training. Only 21 percent actually provided training before placing the employee into the PM role last year. Other methods of training such as “do-it-yourself on the job training,” mentoring, lunch and learn, and self-study approaches also saw a decrease over previous years—often by 20 percent or more. Christine Brack, principal, Strategic Advisory Services for ZweigWhite feels that many firms underestimate the huge transition to the role of project manager, especially if the employee was formerly in a more technical role. “It can be intimidating territory for some and guidance is important. If you have to be selective about what you are going to teach your project managers, and are limited by time and budget, prioritize the topics. Whatever you do, don’t dismiss all of it.” Christine has run the Project Management seminar, Best Practices in A/E/P Project Management, for four years. What is included is reflected in the survey: financial management, budgeting, and improved work planning are the skills project managers need to get better at, and those stressed in the seminar. Christine is now joined by Steve Evans, operations consultant for ZweigWhite. Evans has more than 25 years of experience in the industry and has served as Senior Project Manager for several major stadium complexes across the U.S. “Project profitability is crucial and a project manager needs the financial confidence to make better decisions and keep the project on track. Working together with Steve, we dig further into the project accounting and work plans as the industry wants, while still presenting the softer skills that will help them be great project leaders.” For more information visit www.zweigwhite.com. Press Contact: Christina Zweig christinaz@zweigwhite.com www.zweigwhite.com