Unlocking Success:
How Certificate Courses Propel Project Management Careers
Enterprises University of Pretoria annually hosts a formal ceremony to award University of Pretoria certificates to people who have successfully completed comprehensive skills development programmes of the GSTM (Graduate School of Technology Management).
The awards included the much acclaimed and industry relevant Project Management, Engineering Management, Asset and Maintenance Management certificates.
In 2024, the ceremony took place on 19 April, and 102 certificates were awarded to people who have successfully completed the Programme in Project Management (PPM). Of the 102 certificates, 44 were awarded for the Online PPM, 30 for the Weekend PPM, and 28 for the Midweek PPM.
The numbers above only include individuals who received certificates at the ceremony. Many of the successful candidates – especially those who took the opportunity to study online – did not attend the ceremony and received their certificates via our designated courier services. In total, 260 PPM certificates were awarded.
In addition to recognising people who obtained the certificate with a distinction, the person with the highest average mark – and the person who submitted the best project plan – were acknowledged for each class.
A seasoned project management expert from Sasol, Mr Dirk Mostert, delivered an inspiring speech, encouraging the recipients to apply their newly learned skills to benefit the economy.
Several recipients of certificates expressed their gratitude for the course. Here are four examples:
- I have now been handed a major project to oversee and the skills that I have learnt are definitely getting used.
- Working with other people from different backgrounds definitely gave me a new perspective in the work environment.
- With this knowledge and skills, I am now able to create well-defined projects, and my organization has gained a Project Manager that will improve on the Mission and Vision which is to be a world class provider…
- I am involved in all aspects of projects: technical, procurement, construction, etc. This course reinforced [my knowledge] and clarified many things for me where I wasn't sure…
While these quotations indicate the course's contribution to the recipients and their careers, their knowledge and skills also contribute to their organisations' productivity and the general economy.
One of the lecturers commented that one should not underestimate the positive effect of 260 people finishing such a comprehensive project management course: “Even if each one of them would improve only the management of one project, the economic effect would be significant.”
