General Dynamics UK – Modular APMP training with unique mock exam marking service
Design and delivery of modular APMP project management training including provision of Provek’s unique mock APMP exam marking service.
The Challenge
As part of General Dynamics UK (GD UK) overall plan to improve and accredit their considerable project management community, for many of GD UK’s project managers this required formal best-practice training based on APM’s Body of Knowledge followed by sitting and passing the APMP exam.
The first cohorts of GD UK project managers achieved disappointing pass rates of approximately 50% in the APMP exam. This pass rate figure needed to be improved.
The Solution
GD UK and Provek held a joint lessons learned review to fully understand the causes for the low APMP pass rates to date achieved by generally very experienced project managers. Based on feedback from the APMP delegates and the Provek trainer too, the key area highlighted for improvement centred on the fact that many experienced GD UK project managers had not taken an exam for over 20 years, and hence exam technique was a major challenge. Indeed all of those who sat the APMP exam found hand writing for 3 hours extremely tough since of course nobody does this today in the work place. Whilst passing the APMP exam was not the sole goal of the training, it was considered a relevant benchmark as to the acquisition and understanding of best-practice project management training principles.
GD UK and Provek worked together and designed a solution aimed to provide maximum preparation and support in readiness for the APMP exam.
This solution is shown in the figure below:
The Benefits
Using the approach as described above, the next two GD UK APMP cohorts yielded pass rates of 80% instead of 50% pass rates by previous cohorts. Provek continue to provide APMP training and other project management training and support to GD UK.
This work also shows the benefit of:
· A partnership approach fully committed to an improvement challenge, with both client and training provider organisations working closely together.
· Lessons learned reviews and importantly the actual implementation of key lessons learned.
Neil Mooney, Provek’s training director said "This is a great example of two organisations working together and really applying lessons learned to achieve improved performance".
Gary Mainwaring, GD UK Head of Programme Management Governance & Development, said: "The close working relationship between GD UK and Provek has developed a professional training package that has dramatically improved our project managers’ success rate in passing the APMP exam and, just as importantly, has instilled the benefits of good project management practice."