News story

QA launches enhanced PRINCE2 course to bridge gap between knowledge and implementation

London, UKLearning NewsQA

QA incorporates soft skills and project management tools into training that goes beyond typical industry standards to help create more effective project managers.

Dr Ian Clarkson, Head of PPM Product Development, QA
Dr Ian Clarkson, Head of PPM Product Development, QA 

QA, the global training company that transforms performance through learning, today announced that it is leading the way in PRINCE2® training with enhanced courses that will include the wider set of project management skills required for successful project delivery.

The new PRINCE2 courses incorporate soft skills and behaviours such as team and conflict management, leadership and motivation, and stakeholder engagement. This evolution of QA’s PRINCE2 courses is based upon months of consultation with industry experts and customers across a wide range of sectors. That feedback has been carefully combined with the syllabus requirements of PRINCE2 to create an innovative, world-leading training course.

Dr Ian Clarkson, Head of PPM Product Development at QA explains, “It is widely known that the PRINCE2 framework is the de facto standard for project management across the world, but typical training courses tend to focus on getting students through the Foundation and Practitioner exams and do not encompass how PRINCE2 is used in a business context.  For example, over 250,000 people hold the PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification in the UK, yet many organisations still feel that their project managers lack the necessary practical and soft skills to deliver projects successfully. The enhanced training features in QA’s new PRINCE2 courses will help to deliver both the structure and relevant skills for the next generation of project managers.”

QA’s classroom based training includes the very latest accelerated learning techniques with the support of video clips, gaming and highly engaging multimedia case studies. Key competencies are embedded into these case studies rather than just delivered as imparted knowledge, to make the learning content more impactful. The learning process is supported further by replacing pre-course reading materials with engaging eLearning content which considerably reduces the time needed to prepare for the course.  Every delegate is given access to the relevant online materials to help them to prepare in their own time and around their current work commitments.

Learners studying with QA achieve above-average pass marks in both the Foundation and Practitioner exams, and QA is offering FREE exam insurance for extra peace of mind on the five day PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner course. Further benefits of the new QA PRINCE2 courses include access to our project management experts for three months after the end of the course to give advice and guidance back in the workplace, and a 12-month subscription to Project Manager Today magazine, the leading independent publication for the project management profession. See www.qa.com/prince2 for full Terms and Conditions.

Clarkson adds, “The new courses mark a significant investment by QA, demonstrating our continued commitment to improving the skills of the project management profession. By listening to our customers, we are able to raise the bar for PRINCE2 qualified professionals, ensuring our learners have both the technical expertise and the soft skills that businesses say they need for project success.”

In summary, the QA PRINCE2 courses offer:

  • Deeper understanding of the PRINCE2 methodology with QA’s unique interactive learning, featuring multi-media case studies and exercises;
  • More effective project manager skills through QA’s unique modules including action-centred leadership, stakeholder engagement and detailed project management techniques;
  • Unrivalled trainer and peer networking support with three months of expert mentoring;
  • Free 12-months subscription to Project Manager Today;
  • More efficient pre-course work from 20 hours of reading to 2 hours of highly engaging video-based learning;
  • Peace of mind with guaranteed exam success or your money back. See www.qa.com/prince2 for full Terms and Conditions;

QA offers the following PRINCE2 classroom courses:

  • PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner             5 days
  • PRINCE2® Foundation                                    Now only 2 days
  • PRINCE2® Practitioner                                    Extended to 3 days 

Full course profiles are available at www.qa.com/prince2 and all courses are now available on QA’s public training schedule for courses starting from the 2 July 2012.

QA is one of the largest business learning providers; currently, the company delivers over 500,000 delegate days of training based upon 1,500 courses, with over 300 employed learning and subject specialists and 25 dedicated customer support people.  Over 70,000 delegates have completed PRINCE2 training with QA. 

Notes to editor

QA supports the following key disciplines and development:

  • Project management: PRINCE2®; Agile, Scrum project management; APM (Association for Project Management); PMI (Project Management Institute), ISEB certificates in project management; GPM (Green Project Management Ltd);
  • Programme and Portfolio: MSP (Managing Successful Projects); MoP™ (Management of Portfolios); P3O® (Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices); ISEB PPSO (Programme and Project Support Office)and PPS (Programme and Project Sponsorship);
  • Risk and change management: M_o_R® (Management of Risk); and PCM (Principles of Change Management);
  • ITIL service management, Business analysis, Vendor, IT and business application training: a wide range of accredited and award winning technical IT training.  Click here for a full list;
  • Professional development training: tailored professional development training specifically to support senior managers Business Relationships; Communication Skills; Customer Service; Management and Leadership; Personal Effectiveness