Photo by Nicole Williams
Ramapo has now begun project management information sessions located in Mahwah, on campus, and in Lyndhurst at the Meadowlands Environment Center. After attending a session, students can go to a free two-hour class to learn more about project management as a career.
Over the last 15 years, the old management system in businesses and organizations included functional managers telling people what to do. However, in many places of employment this has been replaced with the project manager system. Project managers temporarily oversee teams to achieve a single case's objectives. They then disband the team and move on to the next project.
“While originally seen in the construction, IT and film industries, project management is seen now in accounting, video game production, government and event planning,” said John Thomas, the director of professional business programs for the Anisfield School of Business. “Project management has become increasingly popular as a career. International project management is common.”
Ramapo’s program was developed initially to train people to meet the large and quickly growing need for project managers. These programs give willing students the tools to complete two standardized tests that will certify them as trained project managers — the Certified Associate in Project Management, or CAPM, and Project Management Professional, or PMP. The CAPM is designed for people who little to no experience in project management, while the PMP is directed more toward people who have had several years of experience in the field. The CAPM and PMP are global certification standards for project management training.
This program aims to prepare students for the real world and real careers. The program appeals mostly to sophomores, juniors and seniors who need to increase their skills in order to land internships and jobs. Obtaining this certification shows that a student has had training in the business field before completing their undergraduate degree. The program has a strong focus on resume preparation and job seeking to aid this effort. It also intentionally mixes students with experienced professionals. Students can offer experience in passing exams, while the professionals have experience in managing project risk and offer a rich source of networking contacts.
According to Ramapo’s project managing website, through this program, “…students learn to use Microsoft Project and Visio software, how to manage with limited resources and gain managerial and organizational skills in the areas of leadership, communication and intercultural understanding. The project manager can have many responsibilities, including launching new products and services on time and on budget, managing team projects and working with international partners of varying backgrounds, cultures and norms.”
Any student wishing to pursue this program can preregister to attend a free class by going to Ramapo’s project management website. Prior to attending this class, students should attend one of the aforementioned information sessions, which are all listed online on the Ramapo College website under press releases. This program is scheduled in four modules of four weeks each, with the classes meeting two evenings per week. The 14-week program (11 weeks in the summer) is offered all year round. The actual exams are offered through the Project Management Institute.
lheckelm@ramapo.edu
