• If 3GPM is concerned about organisational effectiveness, why do you only offer project management training?

The background of most of our consultants and trainers is organisational effectiveness. Most of us have successfully run our own companies or have been senior executives in major organisations or the public sector. This means that we know and understand business and strategic planning and management. It also means that we know the importance of budgets, schedules and quality improvement processes.

We also know that when it comes to training and education nothing works unless it is closely aligned to the goals and objectives of the organisation, and it incorporates the processes and procedures that staff - whether they're part of the training or not - use. So when the move by governments around the world to a more rigorous approach to workplace training began in the late 1980s, we saw this as an opportunity to provide training and education that was at last capable of achieving real workplace outcomes, but these outcomes were accepted by qualifications providers at further and higher educational institutions. This meant that not only were staff gaining greater skills and capabilities at their job, they were also able to get widely recognised qualifications and credentials in doing so.

We were definitely well on the path towards demonstrating a more modern and workplace friendly approach to what for many employers had been an age old problem - how to get the greatest returns for every dollar spent on staff training and education. 

But when it came to explaining to employers and the government how well these processes could work it was difficult for them to see their potential without having a vocational subject as an example. The trouble was, not all vocational or professional sectors were as organised as the project management sector so when we needed a qualification which could demonstrate to employers just how effective this approach could be, it was logical that we chose this vocational area.

Our record, and the high number of training organisations that continue to try and copy what we're doing, shows just how successful we have been at both implementing a more modern approach to training in industry and in lifting the skills of project managers all around the world.

• What qualifications or professional certifications will I get as a result of attending these workshops?

We don't believe that the aim of any training or learning program should be the achievement of a qualification over the ability to achieve greater things where it counts the most - on the job and where your performance appraisal and annual performance review are carried out. But, having said that, we do believe that excellence in knowledge and skills should be rewarded with academic and professional recognition, but not to the exclusion of excellence on the job.

To that end, all of our courses and workshops lead to qualifications and professional certification. All of our courses and workshops are competency-based - that is, they are based on outcomes that are recognised as best-practice in any workplace - and therefore an assessment of the skills and knowledge applied during and at their conclusion can provide credits to vocational and academic (ie, university) qualifications, and professional certification such as the AIPM's Registered Project Manager Award. Some of the workshops are also recognised as providing a sound basis for other awards such as the PMI's Project Management Professional award.

Let us know what your needs are before the course or workshop gets underway and we will ensure that whatever outcome you desire will be achieved.

• Are you a Registered Training Organisation?

No, nor do we have plans to become one. Certification as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) means achieving and complying with quality processes that underpin a national training agenda set by State and Federal governments. This means that in order to remain as an RTO the training institution has to meet the standards required of certain government agencies, even when such standards are at odds with those required by their course participants and clients.

For example, becoming and remaining an RTO hinges on how well an organisation can complete their application. It has little to do with whether or not the trainers are experienced in and know their subject, or how successful they've been in the skills they're teaching, or even whether or not the training organisation cares about its customers. We are different. We see these as far more important than being able to fill out another government form.

We believe our strength lays in the fact that we have only one quality requirement, and that is the satisfaction of our clients. We work very closely with RTOs (our qualifications are granted by RTOs), but we do not have to meet the quality standards that are imposed on them by government agencies. You are our standard setting body because you, not a government agency, are paying for our services.

When the government gets to pay us then we'll consider adopting the standards that they require. Until then we're happy to stick to a much higher level of standard - yours.

• What are the qualifications of those designing and running these courses?

The minimum qualifications required of those people designing and running our courses is that they must be experienced in the subject they're teaching. For example, all of the trainers in our Project Management courses are experienced and successful project managers. Moreover, all of the designers and presenters of the Project Management courses have been accredited by the Australian Institute of Project Management at either Registered Project Manager or Master Project Director level and have a great deal of experience as senior project managers in a variety of fields.

Insofar as education and training type experience is concerned, most of our presenters are also professional educators with qualifications as high as Masters degree to PhDs and facilitation skills well beyond those required of lower level certificate courses. But this doesn't make them boffins! We did not select them on how smart they are - only on how much fun they are to be with and how well they prepare students and workshop participants for the real world of work.

All of our people subscribe to the policy of 'no bull' learning strategies and if that means tearing up their notes and knuckling down to a different style of activity because it is important to the group then this is what they'll do. We can provide any number of testimonials to demonstrate client satisfaction.

• Do I have to be employed to attend these courses or workshops?

No. For many of these workshops or courses it will help if you've got a project - or have worked on a project - that interests you but this is simply so that you have some kind of model in your mind to work with. But if you don't then this doesn't matter. The whole idea of these courses and workshops is to prepare participants for the future, not measure how well they did in the past. We concentrate on capability, not history, so being unemployed is sometimes a bonus - you're not shackled to the ways of others when it comes to developing and implementing project plans the way other people reckon they should be done.

We are also very closely in touch with many recruitment agencies so are able to pass on advice and guidance to unemployed participants or those considering a career change.

If you have special needs then please don't hesitate to speak with us. Nothing is impossible if you don't want it to be.

• Will attendance at these workshops enhance my chances of promotion or finding alternative employment?

It depends - on how badly you want a promotion or alterative employment. We've had people on our workshops who've wanted to find work or move to a higher pay level but they weren't that interested in doing the hard work that it always takes to get there. We worked closely and diligently with these people but as far as we know they're still sitting at their old desks moaning about how terrible it is being them.

If you are willing to put in the work then so are we. We guarantee that we will match your desire with our own. If you want to work hard to achieve what you want out of life then you will have our support all the way. We won't do it for you, but we will do it with you.

• What if I change jobs halfway through a course or workshop?

This will only cause a problem if you're working on a project with a fellow applicant from your workplace. If you're working independently on a project then this won't be of concern. You can always pick up another one when you get to your new job. We'll still be here.

If, however, you are working on a project with an applicant from your last job then you might have to make arrangements with that person for a replacement - unless he/she is happy with you leaving all of the work for him/her to do. You're leaving might mean that that person has to dump the project you were both working on and find another one unless you are willing to continue working with them until it is finished.

Either way you'll have to talk to your former project partner.

• Do you have a grievance procedures?

Yes, and these will be further explained during the course/workshop. In essence if there are concerns about the way the course/workshop is being run then these should be taken up with the presenter or facilitator. If there is no satisfaction within a reasonable time then the matter should be taken up directly with us.

• What is your refund policy?

Our refund policy is as follows:

• Cancellation up to two weeks prior to course/workshop commencement - full refund
• Cancellation up to five days prior to course/workshop commencement - 50% refund
• Cancellation up to 24 hours prior to course/workshop commencement - 15% refund
• No notification of cancellation - no refund.

About Us

• Where are you located, and is there parking?

Our head office is in Canberra, Australia. We generally operate throughout Australasia and South East Asia, and have experience working in the USA, Great Britain, Europe and the Middle East.

We run course/worshops in three locations: Either at some remote location where we run our residential workshops, at a central location depending on the participants, or at our client's premises. All of the access and parking facilities will be explained prior to the course/workshop in an introductory letter and course instructions sheet.

• Do you charge for a consultation?

Yes we do. Obviously our costs will be dependent upon the task but as a guide our costs are generally $AUS1200-$AUS1500 per day.

• Are there any former clients I can contact about your services?

Yes we do. Who they are will depend on what aspect of our services you are seeking references for. We have been very busy over the past two decades and have many clients who are happy to give a reference on our behalf. Please contact us and we will pass on the names and details of our referees.

Do you have a question for us? Use the form below, and we'll post the answer right here on this page.