UC Irvine Extension announces summer Agile training courses

IRVINE, CALIF. — Due to the continued need for professionals certified in Agile techniques, University of California, Irvine Extension announced the availability of two online summer courses titled, “Agile Project Management II” and “Agile Certified Practitioner- Certification Preparation Course.” The courses will provide participants interested in Agile certification with techniques that have become integral to the profession.

In addition, a webinar titled “An Introduction to Agile for Project Management Professionals Information Session” will be held on Thursday, May 31and will address current industry trends.

“Agile techniques are playing a greater role in the project management process and are often implemented to stimulate innovation and improved operational efficiency, specifically for projects that have to adapt to changing customer requirements,” said Dave Dimas, Ph.D., director of engineering, sciences and information technology at UC Irvine Extension. “Increasingly, companies are seeking professionals with Agile skills to help them remain competitive, fuel growth and increase profitability UC Irvine Extension’s Agile training courses meet this need by offering participants the most up-to-date content — adding to the professional’s skill sets.”

Summer Courses:
• Agile Project Management II (June 25 to August 26): This online course will address the differences between evaluation and tracking of Agile and traditional projects; the Agile approach to complex projects using global and multi-cultural terms; and key features of the management, use and measurement of contractors on an Agile project. Course instructor Rashed Iqbal, Ph.D., program manager at Teledyne Controls, will use software such as Rally throughout the course to help participants understand how to effectively manage a project in an Agile environment.
• Agile Certified Practitioner- Certification Preparation Course (July 16 to September 16): This online preparation course will provide participants with the core knowledge and skills required to sit for the Projects Management Institute’s new Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) exam. Attendees will gain the skills necessary to take the exam and learn the background required for applying Agile techniques in any organization. The Agile Certified Practitioner- Certification Preparation Course also satisfies the 21 professional development units (PDUs) required to sit for the PMI-ACP exam.

Participants looking to expand their project management skills can enroll in the fall quarter’s Advanced Project Management Certificate Program. The program is designed to enable project managers and other business professionals to successfully execute strategy, apply theoretical concepts, and gain practical knowledge for managing a portfolio of critical programs and projects. Instruction from well-known industry professionals is applied to processes, organizational structures and tools to ensure project work yields desired business results.

A free webinar titled “An Introduction to Agile for Project Management Professionals Information Session” will take place on May 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PDT, and will provide information on the program, courses and benefits of certification.

For more information or to register for the online courses or webinar, visit www.extension.uci.edu/events or call (949) 824-5414.