Why Study Project Management?

Engineers and technologists are not and have never been mono-discipline practitioners. The reality is that engineering is just one competency among multiple competencies professional engineers and technologists of today need to possess.

This fact has been illustrated by many studies, such as the study conducted by Morris and Dixon on behalf of the Association for Project Management (APM) in the UK (2000) in which around 120 companies participated. 100% of respondents agreed on the need for leadership, legal awareness and procurement to be included in the APM list. The next top 5 areas down the list in descending order were: safety, health and environment (99% agreement), life cycles (98%), purchasing (96%), risk management (95%) and financial management (94%). As noted the managerial and leadership skills topped the list in this survey.

In 2002 Professor Jaafari and his students conducted a survey of perceived competencies of engineers and allied professionals at the University of Sydney. This study found that leadership and socio-cultural competencies were rated of critical importance, on a par with project management competencies. Technical competencies are generally acquired as part of the discipline or industry in which one is grounded, such as instrumentation engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering and so on. Few engineers, scientists and technologists continue to develop their managerial and leadership competencies systematically. It is always assumed that they will acquire such vital skills on the job or through the employers’ sponsored training schemes. Though a few employers may actually pay attention to development of their professional engineers and scientists or technologists; unfortunately this is not the case universally.

The extent and intensity of project management and leadership competencies required changes, depending on the person’s orientation and context. For example, an electrical engineer needs to possess project management competencies to the extent that he or she can appreciate the business context, project goals and objectives, project parts and functions, and how his/her input relates to the broader project mission and business needs and requirements. They also need to participate in project conceptualization endeavors and furnish his expertise of electrical engineering or make significant expert contribution to the evolution of integrated solutions in multi-discipline teams. All of these require both project management and leadership competencies. To summarize, engineers, scientists and technologists need to exhibit three types of competencies in an integrated fashion:

Project Management competency is needed by all professionals in order to participate in, and or manage business and or government endeavors, particularly focusing on hard aspects, users’ validated performance targets, financial targets, time, production requirements, safety, health and environmental protection etc. Thus, project management competency is a required core competency for virtually all classes of engineers, scientists and technologists (note that over 95% of all services and products in engineering and technology-based industries are delivered through projects).

Leadership and socio-cultural skills are also needed by all professionals in order to develop self, relate to social structures in teams, projects and business units or in wider sense of leading organizations, as well as promotion and adherence to strong personal and professional ethics. These competencies focus on the soft aspects and human and organizational cultures.

Technical competencies are also essential, and go hand in hand with other key competencies. Technology plays a key role in competitiveness of ventures and business endeavors. That is why this program aims to further enhance the technical expertise of the participants and immerse them in the commercial and technological dynamics of the field. A project manager who is active in the culture and arts field is not sufficiently knowledgeable to engage in the instrumentation or electrical engineering industry and vice versa. This program has been designed to impart and enhance the participants’ technical and technological expertise in an integrated manner alongside the dimension of project management, leadership and socio-cultural competencies.

Who Should Attend?

• Anyone who wants to gain solid knowledge of Project  Management and the key elements of industrial automation  to improve their work skills and to further their job prospects:

• Electrical Engineers

• Maintenance Engineers and Supervisors

• Instrumentation Engineers

• Energy Management Consultants

• Automation and Process Engineers

• Design Engineers

• Project Managers

• Electricians and Instrument Fitters with sufficient experience

• Consulting Engineers

• Production Managers

• Chemical and Mechanical Engineers

• IT Professionals

• Instrument and Process Control Technicians

Course Structure

This innovative Master degree comprises 15 units and is structured to be an intensive part time one running over a period of 7 semesters of 12 weeks each; with a one week break between semesters. The Graduate Diploma component is completed within the 4 semesters (first year). Students who successfully complete the first 9 units will be awarded with the Graduate Diploma of Industrial Automation by the EIT. The Master Degree is awarded by APIC at the end of the seventh semester on successful completion of all 15 units.

You need to invest 15 to 20 hours per week (comprising online lectures, assignments, lab and simulation work, collaborative team work and self-study in the program) to optimize the value you obtain from it. The structure of the Master Degree does provide some flexibility; in that you can defer units due to work commitments and continue when more appropriate for you.

Units 1 to 9 are presented by the Engineering Institute of Technology:

Unit 1: Project Scope, Time and Cost Management
Unit 2: Project Quality, Risk and Procurement Management
Unit 3: Industrial Process Instrumentation
Unit 4; Industrial Process Control Systems
Unit 5: Programmable Logic Controllers, SCADA and Distributed Control Systems
Unit 6: Industrial Data Communications
Unit 7: Management of Industrial Automation Projects
Unit 8: Processes, Tools and Templates for Management of Industrial Automation Projects
Unit 9: Integrated Management of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)

On completion of a Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Industrial Automation), candidates need to complete the following units of study presented by Asia Pacific International College (APIC) in order to satisfy the requirements of the Master of Business and Project Management Degree: 

Unit 10: Professional Development and Ethics
Unit 11: Project/Program Human Resources, Teams, Communication and Integration Management
Unit 12: Project/Program Strategic Intent, Business Case, Framework and Governance
Unit 13: Project and Program Information and Communication Systems
Unit 14: Venture/Project Economics and Finance
Unit 15: Research Project

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Course Fees

What are the fees for my country?

The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) provides distance education to students located almost anywhere in the world – it is one of the very few truly global training institutes. Course fees are paid in a currency that is determined by the student’s location. A full list of fees in a currency appropriate for every country would be complex to navigate and, with today’s exchange rate fluctuations, difficult to maintain. Instead we aim to give you a rapid response regarding fees that is customised to your individual circumstances.

We understand that cost is a major consideration before a student commences study. For a rapid reply to your enquiry regarding courses fees and payment options, please enquire via the below button and we will respond within 1 business day.

Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) Certificate Course Payment Options

Please contact us with your location for certificate fees in the relevant currency.  Certificate fees include all live webinars with a professional instructor, 4 technical manuals (as searchable eBooks), course materials, software, postage, assignments and ongoing support. All you need to participate is an internet connection, computer and headset.  We have group discounts available for our 3 month certificates.

Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) Advanced Diploma Course Payment Options

Three payment options are available for the Advanced Diploma courses;

OPTION 1 - PAY UPFRONT

Pay total amount upfront to receive a 5% reduction in fees.

OPTION 2 - PAY IN  SIX INSTALMENTS BY CREDIT CARD

Pay in 6 equal instalments over 18 months. First payment at least two weeks before the course starts, then the remaining five every 3 months. Payment dates will be set ahead of time and provided at the start of the course. You would receive the 30 technical reference eBooks in batches over the duration of the course.

OPTION 3 - PAY IN  MONTHLY INSTALMENTS BY CREDIT CARD

Pay in even installments for 18 months. First payment at least two weeks before the course starts, then one on the same date every month for the remaining period. This option incurs a 2% administration fee. You would receive the 30 technical reference eBooks in batches over the duration of the course.

Discounts are available for group bookings

For a rapid reply to your enquiry regarding courses fees and payment options, please contact us with your name, email address, course title(s), and location using the form below, and we will respond within 1 business day.

Courses

1. Vocational Graduate Diploma of Project Management in Industrial Automation
2. Master of Business and Project Management in Industrial Automation
3. Professional Certificate of Competency in Project Management for Engineers and Technicians
    

Many engineering professionals tend to take on a role which encompasses management (and leadership) tasks at some stage of their career despite enjoying the technical aspects of their career.

Effective management, however, requires formal training and a willingness to learn new skills. All the technical know-how in the world will not deliver a project successfully, i.e. with the required level of quality, within cost constraints and on time. Unfortunately very few engineering professionals have any degree of formal management training, which results in a great deal of personal stress as well as cost blow-outs and other woes.

The lack of training often applies to the 'people skills' required for effective leadership as well. Critical project related activities such as work breakdown, scheduling, cost control and risk management, are important to understand. The 'soft' (but equally important) aspects such as team leadership and contract law are also critical.

The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) School of Engineering Management thus focuses on project management with a interest in time, cost and risk management.

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