Project and portfolio management (PPM) specialist The Project Group (TPG) Africa is for the first time offering PPM training to the public. based on Microsoft technologies,

TPG Africa CEO Pieter Meyer says the training has been offered for the past ten years to its clients and more than 60 people have completed the training programmes.

The training is suitable for people who want to advance their skills in this field. The training programmes cover the relevant knowledge, skills and strategies needed to manage multiple projects and programmes in a range of industries, including of engineering and construction.

The programmes also aim to provide project management practitioners with advanced PPM knowledge, which will help them to advance their careers.

“Organisations and individuals are becoming more aware of the competitive advantage that formal PPM enables them to have. Our training provides a prime opportunity for attendees to advance their knowledge and skills in this specialised field,” explains Meyer.

The training courses explain how companies implement Microsoft PPM solutions and how to use the Microsoft Office Project Server solution and Microsoft SharePoint for integrated PPM systems. The courses also explain how to develop rapidly deployed, ready-to-run implementations.

In addition, attendees will also be exposed to multiproject management scenarios similar to those that they encounter in the workplace.

Microsoft Project Server is a project management server solution that uses Microsoft SharePoint as its foundation, and the solution supports the interface either from Microsoft Project as a client application or by Web browser connecting to its Project Web App component.

Microsoft SharePoint is a Web application framework and platform that integrates Intranet, as well as content and document management. It comprises a multipurpose set of Web technologies that are supported by a common technical infrastructure.

Professionals in the relevant fields present the two- to five-day training programmes. “The advantage of having the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills from trainers who are working in the field – as opposed to academics – is immeasurable. It ensures a level of on-the-job training that imparts expertise way beyond regular textbook learning,” continues Meyer.

TPG Africa is the South African subsidiary of TPG – The Project Group Germany – an international end-to-end service provider of consulting, implementation, hosting, products and training in project, programme and project portfolio management.

With offices in Europe, America and Africa, as well as an international network of authorised TPG partners, TPG’s products and services are available globally.