dents said project execution was the strongest.
;at might be attributable to the can-do attitude
the military fosters. As a civilian project manager,
Graeme Hood once put on a hard hat and helped
lay ;ber-optic cable beneath a road—because that’s
what was needed to complete an o;ce relocation
project on time.
“;e military taught me that, whatever it takes,
you get it done,” says Mr. Hood, estates strategy
program manager for the insurer Royal London in
Wilmslow, England. He served in the British Army
for 12 years.
;e military cultivates leadership skills that project managers need from an early age. “Civilians at 21
or 22 years old might be in college, but they’re not
getting the leadership development opportunities
Building
Bridges
For years, the unemployment rate among
post-9/11 U.S. veterans has been higher than
the country’s overall jobless rate. Aware of
the challenges veterans face transitioning
into the civilian workforce, the U.S. federal
government in 2011 launched its nonpartisan Joining Forces program, which aims to
mobilize public and private sectors to ensure
veterans have the tools and resources they
need to succeed.
A proud supporter of the Joining Forces
program, PMI last July launched its program
Preparing U.S. Military for Project Management Careers. The goal of the program is to
help military personnel find employment in
the project management profession by using
the benefits offered through membership:
networking, mentorship, accessing professional development resources and certification. PMI’s U.S. chapters have received information to help military personnel qualify for
PMI certifications.
The need for that support is large: According to a report by the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs, there are 8. 5 million
employable veterans in the United States,
and almost 350,000 personnel transition
from active military service to veteran status
each year.
“Most people in the
concept of managing
military is largely pr
—Mark Johnston, KPMG Australia, Melbourne, Australia
