MCR, American University form program management training program
By
Nick Wakeman
MCR and American University join forces to create a new training program aimed at government acquisition professionals.
A small business that specializes in program management has joined forces with American University to create a PM training program for government acquisition officials.
The training program will target government acquisition executives and will cover leadership training and technical skills, said officials with MCR LLC of McLean, Va. MCR specializes in integrated program management services.
“As more of our senior government acquisition professionals approach retirement, we need to develop a strong cadre of procurement leaders who have mastered the necessary disciplines and approaches for effective integrated program management,” said Neil Albert, president and CEO of MCR.
The program begins in February and is part of the American University Key Executive Leadership Certificate Program in the school of public affairs.
MCR executives will participate as faculty for the program, Albert said.
The program will help AU meet its goal of helping federal employees move from being technicians and managers to leaders, said Robert Tobias, director of public-sector executive education.
“MCR has been an industry leader in applying earned value management and other advanced techniques to acquisition program management” said Tobias, who is also a member of the program’s faculty.
The program is aimed at federal employees who have at least four years of program and project management experience and are on a career path to senior executive service or equivalent positions, Participants will learn such skills as effectively using federal resources and acquisition policies and regulations, as well as developing partnerships among acquisition stakeholders to create a successful strategy.
In addition, they will study leadership skills and technical approaches, such as EVM, risk management, cost estimating and technology development. “One of our goals is to help program officials apply systems-level thinking to understand the interrelationships between products, people, resources, tools, functions and other processes, which is key to success when managing complex acquisition programs,” Albert said.