Why service personnel make great project managers

Did you know that many of the skills required to make a great project manager are the very same ones that are essential for a career in the military?

On the outset, these two careers look like they could not be any more different, but they actually require some of the same fundamental skills.

We have spoken to the many delegates over the years that are wishing to use their Standard and Enhanced Learning Credits and are making project and programme management their next career move. They have told us that both careers require organisational, strategic and people skills to succeed. Likewise, project management training can also enhance the skills of those that are still very much in the military.

Here are just some of the similarities that have been highlighted to us over the ten years we have spent helping those in the service and going into resettlement to use their credits wisely:

Strategy focused

Getting the job done and getting the priorities in order so that projects are delivered on time and to budget is essential. Leadership is required, across different teams and everyone has to be clear about the role they playing in delivery.

Planning and organisation

Both careers require budgeting and organisation skills. The right priorities need to be executed in the right order and at the right time. AgilePM has a wonderful prioritisation tool called MoSCoW which helps project managers put the right tasks in the right order.

People skills

Keeping team morale at an optimum is a requirement in the military, navigating conflict and dealing with team competencies. Motivation sometimes requires the soft skills that are covered heavily in APM PMQ qualification and so too, does a project manager need to learn to delegate and motivate to get the best out of their team.

Excellent communication skills

It goes without saying that in the military, excellent communication skills can be lifesaving. Getting the job done on time and to budget when you are running projects may not be quite as important as that, but it can make the difference between success and failure of the project itself. Managing cross functional teams, important stakeholders and third parties and problem solving is all part of the daily task in hand.

How we can help

Here at SPOCE Project management we have spent over ten years providing essential advice on the right courses for our (ex) service personnel.

Our ELCAS consultant Jean-Paul has helped 100s of military personnel in and approaching resettlement, to navigate the choppy waters of training. Jean-Paul says:

“I take a lot of enquiries from delegates that are still in the military service or on the verge of resettlement. Many know that they want to make project management their next career move but struggle to decide which course they need to take and also how this fits within the allocation for Standard and Enhanced Learning Credits that they have. SPOCE Project Management has been ELCAS accredited for over ten years now so we are very well qualified to help with this.”

If you would like to know more about how to make project management your next training goal and how to utilise both your Standard Learning Credits and Enhanced Learning Credits then Jean-Paul will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Just contact us using the below and ask for him as follows:

Tel: 01202 736 373 Or Txt: 07758 964609

Email: Sales@spoce.com

Visit: www.spoce.com/elc-home

ELCAS FAQ’s

How many ELCAS credits am I entitled to?

All service/ex-service personnel are automatically enrolled for ELC, however to be eligible to use these you must have served for a minimum of 6 years The value of the credits depends upon your length of service, and is either:

£1000 per year (min 6 years service)

or

£2000 per year (min 8 years service) Credits will be allocated a maximum of 3 times (over 3 financial years)

How many claims can I make per financial year?

You can only make one claim per financial year (1 April- 31 March), however if you have served between 6 and 8 years you may be eligible to aggregate all three lower tier claims together subject to meeting the qualifying criteria in JSP 822 (please check with your Education Staff)

What is my personal contribution amount?

ELCAS will contribute 80% of the total provider course cost up to a maximum ELCAS contribution of £2,000 per claim. Your personal contribution amount is 20% which will be payable by you before you can take your course.

Are ELCAS course prices affected by offers on your website?

No. ELCAS Course prices are fixed, however we offer a number delivery options for each course to fit your personal requirement, please get in touch for further details. please see link to ELCAS website with all our approved courses: Click for SPOCE ELCAS page.

Can I bundle more than one project management course together with my ELCAS Claim?

Absolutely. We have numerous combi course options for you to choose from. Please see all our approved courses by clicking the link above Our specialist ELCAS team is available if you require further guidance on choosing your course combination.

To get in touch please email sales@spoce.com or call us on 01202 736 373

Your next steps to booking one of our ELCAS courses

Once you have identified which of our course(s) you wish to complete:

You will need to submit an online claim via Candidate Authorisation Note (CAN form) - Claims should be submitted online via the Member’s Area; where this is not possible, as a service leaver, part five of your claim form must be completed by the Single Service Representative, you can find their contact details address here.

Once your CAN form is approved we will require an PDF copy of your CAN Form sent to sales@spoce.com

Finally you will need to pay your personal contribution 01202 736 373 / 07758964 609 or sales@spoce.com