**SayPro Buy Project Manager Training Material 101869

The purpose of the qualification is to develop in learners the following competencies to enable them to operate effectively as project managers of small to moderately complex projects. A learner completing this qualification is able to:

• Manage a simple to moderately complex project whilst:
  > Operating in a project context in a variety of routine and non-routine contexts, under general supervision.
  > Selecting from a wide choice of procedures ranging from standard and non-standard.
  > Taking full responsibility for the nature, quantity and quality of output.
  > Taking responsibility for group output as required/possible.
  > Showing possession of a wide range of scholastic and/or technical skills applicable in the field of Project Management.
  > Demonstrating of a broad knowledge base of project management with substantial depth in some areas.

  The use of the term project manager is widespread and inconsistent in interpretation. In some organisations, project manager is a position with the title, while in others, it is a temporary assignment. Whether a full-time position or a part-time assignment, the term Project Manager is linked with a wide variety of responsibilities:

• A project manager could be responsible for all aspects of the feasibility, design, construction, and commissioning of a power plant with a budget of well over 10 Billion Rand.
• A project manager could be responsible for the development of a research report with a budget of less than 100 hours.
• A project manager could be responsible for a subproject that is an element of a larger project or program.

  Regardless of the range of responsibilities, project managers at the threshold level of competence are expected to produce essentially the same result outputs and outcomes that are acceptable to relevant stakeholders. However, increasing complexity requires additional competence skills and judgement ability.

  The purpose of this qualification is to address the project and general threshold competencies required to manage simple to moderately complex projects. A Project Manager who is competent at managing a project at NQF Level 5 may not be able to produce the expected results in the context of a higher level competency project (NQF Level 6). The Global Project Management Standards Initiative has developed an approach to differentiating projects based on their management complexity. This is used as input to the specification of the South African project management qualifications and standards.

  A project manager operating at NQF Level 5 may act as a full time manager or be involved in the product design and development work as well as the project management work. i.e technical specialist and project manager. They tend to be hands on often with little or no administrative support in the project management processes and resultant outcomes. Typically, the organisation will have set up expectations and rules and procedures to be used on the project before it is given to the project manager. The project manager may well be working with a more senior person with regard to interfaces with clients and stakeholders, gate reviews and closure of the project. Their projects are of a simple to moderately complex nature, the ranges below describe this further:

  Simple to moderately complex project can be defined as a project that has:

• High degree of stability, few uncertainties or low rate of change with regard to expected deliverables, phase contents, organisational processes and procedures, legislation and team members.
• Limited range of different methods or approaches relating to the design and creation of deliverables and end products.
• Low to moderate impact on the environment and or socio economic elements; Moderate to low need to comply with legislation: Moderate number of stakeholders affected by or interested in the project.
• Low strategic importance to the organisation or organisations involved; not necessary identified in strategic plans.
• Stakeholders, that are in agreement about the characteristics of the product of the project; Benefits of the project well defined and agreed.
• Low number of different organisations participating in the project; a low number; and or wide variety of interfaces between the project and other organisational entities in order to produce the end deliverable.

  This qualification is intended for people with prior work experience and/or an NQF Level 4 qualification in Project Management. The learners accessing this qualification will be working in or with project management teams or using a project approach to their business. These projects may be technical projects, business projects, public sector projects or community development projects and will cut across a range of economic sectors. This qualification is also of value to learners running their own business, as Project Management is an integral component of any business system.

  Qualifying learners working on a project will have the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to function more effectively and in a professional manner, add value to their job and enhance their ability to follow and implement policies and procedures.

  On achieving the competencies, included in this Qualification, the learners may advance further into Project Management, Project Support Services or General Management within an organisation, across all sectors.

  Rationale:

  This National Certificate in Project Management, NQF Level 5 supports the development and recognition of project management skills in every sector. In South Africa there is a widespread need for skilled personnel to work as team members, team leaders, project managers and support specialists to projects. Projects vary in their size and complexity. This qualification focuses on the core project specific skills required to manage or support small to moderately complex projects. It does not encompass all of the skills required but provides a solid foundation of the minimum set of skills needed.

  The development of project management skills has historically been undertaken on the job and through short courses. There is still resistance to long learning programmes. This Certificate provides one building block in a series of qualifications that an individual or company can utilise to develop project management competence, in conjunction with application in the workplace, over a period of years.

  Many people do not work full time as a project manager and this qualification supports the needs of such individuals and the types of projects that they are managing. It also supports the development of core competence which can be supplemented by further study and utilisation of other qualifications at the same NQF level or a higher level.

  The Project industry is integrated in the global business environment and skilled practitioners are required to meet the demands of both community and the industry, providing significant benefits to individuals, global corporations, government and the country.

  The Qualification gives accessibility and flexibility to the unemployed and employed. The level of flexibility reflects the multiple job roles, organisational requirements and the changing technological nature of the industry and also allows the individual to work towards a nationally recognised Qualification.

• Communication at NQF Level 4 or equivalent.
• Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4 or equivalent.
• Computer Literacy at NQF Level 4 or equivalent.

  Recognition of Prior Learning:

  Learners may access this Qualification in terms of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited ETQA and is conducted by a registered workplace assessor, subject to the terms of the model decided upon by the relevant ETQA.

  Access to the Qualification:

  To access the qualification a learner must be competent in:

• Communication at NQF Level 4.
• Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4.

• The fundamental component consists of 15 credits. All Unit Standards are compulsory.

  Core Component:

• Seventy three (69) credits have been allocated to the Core Unit Standards. All the Core Unit Standards are compulsory.

  Elective Component:

• A minimum of 36 credits must be selected by the learner from the 95 credits available.

2. Plan the project.

3. Execute and control the project.

• Requirements for verbal and written communications on a project are understood and alternative methods for effective communication are applied to sustain effective communication with stakeholders.
• Information is gathered, utilised and processed in accordance with project management requirements.

  2.

• Project deliverables, scope, work, schedules, costs and risks are defined using project management principles and techniques.
• Product development and change control procedures are planned and agreed with stakeholders.
• Project plan components are developed and integrated into an approved and documented project management plan.

  3.

• Project work is undertaken and products delivered in accordance with project requirements, the project management plan and agreed procedures.
• Performance is measured in comparison with project plans and preventative and corrective actions are identified and implemented in line with project plans and procedures.
• Project administration is undertaken in accordance with project plan, required standards and procedures.

  Intergrated Asessment:

  Competencies may be developed through a combination of informal and formal learning, self-learning, training programmes and work based application. Providers should conduct diagnostic and formative assessment. Formative, continuous and diagnostic assessments should also take place in the work place. The learner should be able to assess their progress and determine readiness for a final summative assessment against this Qualification.

  Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably linked. Whenever possible, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values shown in the Unit Standards should be integrated.

  Assessment of Communication and Mathematical Literacy should be conducted in conjunction with other aspects and should use authentic Project Operational contexts wherever possible.

  A variety of methods must be used in assessment and tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the learner is working. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment.

  The term ‘Integrated Assessment’ implies that theoretical and practical components should be assessed together. Groups of standards may also be assessed together.

  Assessment should ensure that all specific outcomes, embedded knowledge and critical cross-field outcomes are evaluated. The assessment of the critical cross-field outcomes should be integrated with the assessment of specific outcomes and embedded knowledge.

  The final summative assessment for the qualification should be undertaken under the direction of the relevant Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body.

Internationally, few qualifications exist that are equivalent to this qualification. Currently the NEPAD and SADC regions, other than South Africa, rarely use an independent Project Management qualification. If a qualification is used it is most likely to be from the UK (PRINCE2 or Information Systems Examining Board (ISEB) or Association for Project Management (APM)), from the Project Management Institute (PMI) or as part of a programme from a university or a donor.

In the developing countries individuals wishing to acquire Project Management related skills are linking with global initiatives from donors, or to PRINCE2 from the UK government and/or to professional bodies such as Project Management Institute (PMI), Association for Project Management (APM) and International Project Management Association (IPMA). A common trend for global companies is to utilise qualifications from PMI, APM or the PRINCE2 set (UK) in conjunction with own qualifications and career path. Consequently these combined qualifications are introduced to a country that previously had none or limited local training in Project Management.

In Africa the development of Project Management capacity is primarily driven by individuals and some large global corporations. It is a common practice for individuals to join an international professional body and later to use its qualifications. There are 55 Chapters of PMI across the world including in some African countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Nigeria and South Africa.

For this qualification the currently available standards were referenced as well as our subject expert’s knowledge of developments in the Project Management sector. A global project established with the support of the key institutions across the world including SAQA, the Services SETA and Project Management South Africa (PMSA). Members of the Project Management SGB have been participating in the project, which is developing global performance standards for project management personnel. The intent was to produce models that can be used anywhere in the world as a reference for performance assessment and as a tool to map qualifications. The Global Level 1 set of standards have been used to map to this qualification. An output from the global project is a detailed analysis of a range of standards. This analysis has been used when developing this qualification. It is too detailed to report here but information from the project can be accessed on the website www.globalPMstandards.org.

Several of the subject experts who contributed to this qualification are contributors to international research, literature, standards and qualifications and several also deliver training in many countries. South Africa is recognised by other countries as one of the leaders in project management standards and training.

This NQF 5 National Certificate utilises internationally recognised best practices and standards in Project Management. It provides an entry point to further learning for NQF levels 5 and 6 and above or for international qualifications in Project or General Management.

Countries which are recognised as leaders in Project Management training include the USA, Canada, UK, European Countries, South Africa and Australia.

Qualifications and standards that have been referenced include the following qualifications:

• Project Management Institute (Global).
  > Project Management Professional (PMP).
  > Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM).
• Business Services Training Australia (now part of Innovation & Business Skills Australia).
  > Business Services Training Package Project Management Competency.
  > Standards AQF Level 5. These are detailed below.

  Innovation & Business Skills Australia; SAQA:

• Identifier; Ibsa Standard Title:
  > Saqa Title:
• BSBPM501A; Manage application of project integrative processes:
  > Develop an integrated project management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Establish a project or project phase and its processes for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Monitor and control the execution of the project management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Coordinate closure of a simple to moderately complex project.
• BSBPM502A; Manage project scope:
  > Develop a project scope statement for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Determine the work required to accomplish the objectives and organise the scope of a simple to moderately complex project.
• BSBPM503A; Manage project time:
  > Produce an optimised work and resource schedule for a simple to moderately complex project.
• BSBPM504A; Manage project costs:
  > Develop a project cost management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
• BSBPM505A; Manage project quality.
• BSBPM506A; Manage project human resources:
  > Encourage team members through recognising strengths, encouraging participation in decision making and delegating tasks.
• BSBPM507A; Manage project communications:
  > Conduct a project or business meeting.
  > Manage stakeholder relations on a simple to moderately complex project.
• BSBPM508A; Manage project risk:
  > Manage risks on a simple to moderately complex project.
• BSBPM509A; Manage project procurement:
  > Manage procurement for a simple to moderately complex project.

  United Kingdom:

• The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (G4L3 25) National occupational standards for project management (2004).
• Information Systems Examination Board -Certificate in Information Systems project management.

  Global:

• Association for Project Management Professional (APMP) from Association for Project Management (APM).
• Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International. Certified Cost Engineer (CCE).
• Performance standards by GAPPS, the Global Project Management Performance Standards project.
• Global Standard Title:
  > SAQA Standard Title:
• PM01 Manage Stakeholder Relationships:
  > Manage stakeholder relations on a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Conduct a project or business meeting.
• PM02 Manage Interpersonal Relationships:
  > Empower team members through recognising strengths, encouraging participation in decision making and delegating tasks.
  > Conduct a project or business meeting.
• PM03 Manage development of the plan for the project:
  > Develop a project scope statement for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Determine the work required to accomplish the objectives and organise the scope of a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Produce an optimised work and resource schedule for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Develop a project cost management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Manage risks on a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Develop an integrated project management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
• PM04 Manage project progress:
  > Establish a project or project phase and its processes for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Monitor and control the execution of the project management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Manage risks on a simple to moderately complex project.
  > Manage procurement for a simple to moderately complex project.
• PM05 Manage product acceptance:
  > Monitor and control the execution of the project management plan for a simple to moderately complex project.
• PM06 Manage project transitions:
  > Coordinate closure of a simple to moderately complex project.

  International standards/knowledge that have been referenced include:

• United Kingdom – Body of Knowledge from the Association for Project Management.
• International – International Standards Organisation (ISO) 10006.
• Europe – International Project Management Association Competence Baseline.
• Project Management Professional role delineation study from PMI� knowledge areas:
  > Professionalism and Ethics:
  > Legal requirements.
  > Communications.
  > Conflict of interest.
  > Ethnic and cultural norms.
  > PMP� code of ethics.

  Project Management is developing as a profession and there are several bodies around the world that provide research, standards and qualifications for the field. This qualification has been benchmarked against a wide range of standards and qualifications and provided to several international bodies for comparison purposes.

  In addition, references were made to the following professional bodies or Training Authorities, delivering qualifications or advice on learning in this area:

• Association for Project Management (UK).
• International Project Management Association (Europe).
• Australian Institute for Project Management (Australia).
• Project Management Institute (PMI�).
• Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (International).
• The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (UK).
• Innovation and Business Skills Australia.

  The following International standards have been referenced:

• Global performance standards for project management personnel (GAPPS-Global).
• A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK Guide), 2000 and 2004 versions, from Project Management Institute (PMI�).
• Extensions to PMBoK� Guide for Government from PMI�.
• Australian National Competency Standards for Project Management, 1996 and 2003.
• Body of Knowledge from Association for Project Management, UK.
• ISO 10006.
• IPMA Competence Baseline from International Project Management Association.
• Project Management role delineation studies from PMI� for CAPM and PMP.
• Project Management Competency Development Framework from PMI� 2002.

• ID 24493: National Certificate: Management, NQF Level 5.
• ID 48872: National Certificate: Information Technology (Systems Development), NQF Level 5.
• ID 48908: National Certificate: Sanitisation Project Co-ordination, NQF Level 5.
• ID 49469: National Diploma: Complex Procurement, NQF Level 5.
• ID 49793: National Certificate: Productivity, NQF Level 5.
• ID 49794: National Diploma: Productivity, NQF Level 5.
• ID 49692: National Diploma: Human Resources Management and Practices, NQF Level 5.
• ID 58309: National Diploma: Project Management, NQF Level 5.

  Vertical articulation is possible with:

• ID 48700: Bachelors Construction Management: Built Environment, NQF Level 6.

• Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this Qualification must register as an assessor with the relevant accredited Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) Body or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant accredited ETQA.
• Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant accredited ETQA or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant accredited ETQA, according to the ETQA’s policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation; in terms of agreements reached around assessment and moderation between ETQAs (including professional bodies).
• Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the Qualification, unless ETQA policies specify otherwise. Moderation should encompass achievement of the competence described in the Qualification.
• Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this Qualification must be accredited as a provider with the relevant accredited ETQA.

• Be registered as an assessor with the relevant accredited ETQA or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant accredited ETQA.
• Hold a Project Management Qualification at NQF level 6 or above, or equivalent management qualification.
• Have at least three (3) years experience working on projects, applying project processes and techniques.

• Learners will be credited with Unit Standards in which they have proved competence.
• Learners who complete individual Unit Standards but do not complete this Qualification retain their credits. However, should the substance of the Unit Standard change, the validity of the credits towards the Qualification may be reviewed.
• Learners who change their provider or learning site before completing the Qualification may transfer their credits to the new learning site.