Project Management skills boosted in the provinces

Twenty project officers are bringing much needed project management skills to the provinces after completing a Certificate IV in Project Management under an Australia Awards Fellowship- PNG.

The project officers, working at the frontline of development in the provinces of Manus, Western Highlands, West Sepik, Gulf and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville graduated with a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice in Port Moresby recently.

The Fellowship program ran over seven months and included four weeks of study in Australia and six months of workplace mentoring on return to PNG. Underpinning the qualification, each officer was required to select a priority project in their province or district and develop a plan to ensure its successful implementation.

Deslyn Malien, Rural Development Officer from Sandaun Provincial Administration undertook a successful survey of Cocoa Farmers to determine the potential for investment in Small Medium Enterprise (SME) training.

“By identifying the number of cocoa farmers and the technology they use, I can better design our SME strategies more effectively to support this important non-resource sector of my province,” said Ms Malien.

Project workers at the provincial and district level are crucial to effective service delivery for the majority of Papua New Guineans. “Investing in the skills of these workers has a direct impact on services for those who need it most,” said Smith Sapok, Manager of graduating awardees from Manus Provincial Administration.

A second group of twenty project officers travelled to Australia on 31 October to undertake the same course. They represent the provinces of Milne Bay, Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Oro and West New Britain.

“The Australian Government is pleased to be working with the Papua New Guinean Government to provide tailored professional development opportunities for frontline provincial administration officers in the provinces” said the Australian High Commission’s Councellor Development – Education, Suzanne Edgecombe.

Since 1996, more than 2000 Papua New Guineans have studied in Australia on scholarships. Australia Awards promote knowledge, education links and enduring ties between Australia and PNG and are part of Australia's commitment to providing education opportunities to improve living standards and stimulate economic growth.