Learner Story – Gavin
Gavin is a programme manager for NHS Scotland who has been using FutureLearn to help develop his project management skills.
Here he shares how one course helped him pass the APM Project Management Qualification, and why he’s taking his professional development further by enrolling in the University of Glasgow’s Change Management microcredential.
Enhance your skills
Gavin took the Open University’s Project Management: Beyond the Basics course back in May during lockdown in order to improve his leadership skills and excel in his current job as a programme manager.
“I wanted to enhance my knowledge of project management to help the transition into my current role, where excellent project management skills are essential. Although I have undertaken a number of project management courses throughout my career (including the PRINCE2), the skills and knowledge that I gained from this course in particular, have been extremely helpful in both a professional and a personal sense.”
He has subsequently transferred the skills he learnt on the course into his line of work, and he believes that this has helped him to shine within his job role.
“The skills I’ve developed from the course are being applied on a daily basis at my work, especially those relating to resource scheduling and management. For example, the course taught me how to develop appropriate arrangements for engaging with stakeholders. This, in turn, has helped me to create and manage a detailed programme schedule that is made up of a number of complex workstreams, with each workstream having their own unique resource management challenges.”
“Overall, completing this course has given me a unique insight into the practical aspects of project management, which is an area that I don’t feel is covered in other approaches to project management training”.
Expand your knowledge
After completing this course, Gavin went on to pass the APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ), with flying colours.
“The course gave me the confidence to attempt the APM Project Management Qualification back in June. A number of the questions on the APM PMQ exam were on topics the course had covered in detail and, as a result, I was able to provide really structured and detailed answers. I passed the exam and received high marks – I don’t think this would have been possible without the foundation of knowledge FutureLearn provided”.
Gavin believes that you are always learning in project management roles and urges other professionals within the field to upskill using FutureLearn.
“I really recommend FutureLearn’s project management courses as I believe that no matter what level of experience or knowledge you have in the field, you always need to learn new skills and adapt your approach to different projects. FutureLearn’s courses are a great way to do this and you can even fit them around your lifestyle, whether that is work or family.”
Enhance your CV
As part of the next step in his career, Gavin has enrolled in the University of Glasgow’s Change Management microcredential. Microcredentials are accredited, online courses designed to help people build specialised skills relevant to their careers, and Gavin has chosen to enrol on this particular microcredential as a way to expand his skillset, enhance his CV and take his career to the next level.
“I found the Open University’s course on FutureLearn so useful that I’ve now enrolled on Glasgow’s Change Management microcredential. I’m confident that the skills and knowledge that I will take away from this microcredential will enable me to be more successful in how I manage change within a project management environment – I can’t wait to start.”
