The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced the availability of new professional certificate program covering the unique challenges of project management in the automation industry. The new program is designed for project managers who want to gain a deeper understanding of how to execute automation projects effectively, as well as for automation professionals who wish to acquire an understanding of core project management principles. The Automation Project Management Specialist Certificate Program is based on “real-world, practical lessons that you can apply to your job today,” said project management veteran Hunter Vegas, who helped develop the program.
“The first third of the course covers the basics of project management so that the entire class is up to speed on project management terms and project execution methods,” said Vegas. “The last two-thirds of the course specifically cover automation projects and the various issues/challenges they pose.” Vegas, who has engineered and managed automation projects for most of his 35-year career, possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Tulane University, an MBA from Wake Forest, and Professional Engineering licenses in Control Systems and Electrical Engineering in six states. “Automation is not well understood by others, and the requirements are usually poorly defined.
The challenges associated with automation project management are legion,” said Vegas in an interview with Christina Ayala for the ISA Interchange blog . “This course is not a theoretical course on project management,” Vegas added. “It is a ‘been there, done that, and got the scars to prove it’ type of course that points out potential pitfalls and provides practical advice about how to address a whole host of issues and gotchas.” Topics include:
- Integration of multiple engineering disciplines (software, computer systems, networks and instrumentation)
- High dependency on user requirements of disciplines outside of automation
- Integration of requirements from many areas (business, engineering, safety, environmental)
- Delays in other project areas that propagate over the automation area
- New technology or technology constraints
An impressive list of project managers from around the world—including Simon Lucchini, Andre Michel, Steve Mustard, Nick Sands and Scott Sommer—helped put together the new certification. Some of the developers routinely worked with 100+ million dollar projects, and others usually worked on smaller projects, so everyone involved contributed different management techniques to the program. No prerequisites or applications are required for the Automation Project Manager Certificate Program. Choose from several formats, including classroom (MT01), self-paced modular (MT01M), or try module one of MT01M for free.
ISA also offers a host of other certification programs , such as the Certified Automation Professional (CAP) , various cybersecurity certificates , and several Safety Certificates. To find out more about all ISA’s certification programs, visit the website.
