A Project Management Training Program

Abstract

In March 1998, the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering, completed a nine-month training effort including over 30,000 hours of project management training for over 1,000 employees. This work documents the challenges faced and the solutions formulated during the course of the training. The two separate needs assessments done prior to developing the training program are explained. The development of the course contents for each of the three elements included in the training program—system optimization, project management technical tools, and human relations/organizational development training—is described. The multiple-level training assessment processes of measuring the instruction, measuring the learning, maintaining the learning, and utilizing the learning are explained and illustrated with examples and results. The lessons learned in managing the training effort, particularly with respect to the logistics of training so many people in such a short amount of time, are documented for managers facing similar large scale training programs.