Project management expert, and SCS instructor, Waffa Adam, shares key reasons why project managers should engage in lifelong learning.
With innovations driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s (4IR), project management has evolved from simply a way of managing resources and stakeholders, to a set of coveted skills that can make or break an organization. Today, companies are seeking agile project managers who can adopt and adapt to help them navigate the unknown, and the changing nature of industry. This is where upskilling comes in; keeping on top of new trends, skills, tactics, tools, and strategies is what sets one project manager apart from the rest. Here are some top reasons why project manager must embrace lifelong learning.
1. Explore different methods and strategies
It’s is essential to understand the traditional methodologies, but it’s even more critical to expand your understanding of various frameworks. Continuing education gives you the up-to-date skills to manage and facilitate project work, set expectations, and ensure project success.
2. Gain practical insights
Whether through learning opportunities that demonstrate real-world projects/cases, or by networking with others project management professionals, continuing education empowers you to gain practical hands-on experience. These are skills you can apply immediately at work.
3. Get out of your comfort zone
Lifelong learning requires that you push past boundaries, and let go of limiting beliefs. Lifelong learners are change-makers.
4. Expand your career opportunities
Growing your project management skillset is one of the best ways to ignite forward momentum in your career. Continuing education can enhance your resume, increase your connections within the industry, or lead to earning a professional designation. But most importantly, your new skills speak for themselves; whether you aim to thrive in your current role, or explore new opportunities, lifelong learning is the way forward.
5. Design your journey
This is YOUR learning journey, and it’s yours to create. Whether you are looking to enhance or refresh your skills, or learn something completely new, continuing education puts you in the driver’s seat.
We are witnessing unprecedented transformative changes in how we work, study, shop, and communicate. Project management professionals must continue to upskill to be competitive and own their future.
Dr.Waffa Adam has 20+ years of experience across management consulting, financial services, IT, Project management, and Education industries focusing on organization change management, digital transformation, Agile and Lean adoption and sustainability, strategy execution, Program, Portfolio, and project management office (PMO). She led numerous PMO's and PPM ranging from $100 million to a Billion to help organizations address complex business and enterprise initiatives. Waffa is a change agent who brings together pragmatic solutions aligned with organizations' strategic planning to help organizations optimize their resources and product delivery to achieve operational excellence. She is an Agile Coach certified, SAFe Agilist certified, PMP certified, ACP certified, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified. She holds a Bachelor of Computer Science and Minor in Business Administrations, a Master's in Information Technology and a Ph.D. in Strategy and program management. Waffa is an instructor at U of T SCS, where she develops, enhances, and contributes to various course offerings. Waffa authored two books about the PMO; one is used as the framework for this course.
Her SCS course, Project Management Office, starts in March 2022.