The Role of the Master International Project Manager

The case for effective project management in the oil and gas industry is strong as ever.

High-profile incidents focused international scrutiny on the industry and prompted environmental concerns as well as a tightened regulatory system and, in turn, the pressure on project managers to deliver has increased.

The rise in exploration of more remote reserves and the use of complex technologies have compounded the pressure and have placed an imperative on project managers to update their skills.

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The Master International Project Manager (MIPM) qualification has been designed to demonstrate holders are capable to competently handle multinational and multi-million dollar projects in the changing industry climate.

Qualifying as a MIPM

The MIPM qualification, as designed by the International Academy of Project Management (IAPM), is specifically targeted for those working in senior roles, including executive directors, management consultants and senior managers.

The Certified International Project Manager qualification course teaches the importance of project management as well as how to meet international standards. The course is aimed at those who hold the responsibility of managing teams and departments and those who have received graduate level education.

Encompassing classroom-based lectures, one-to-one teaching, case study and role play exercises, the course aims to enable project managers to apply the skills learnt in real-world scenarios and incorporate that knowledge into key business decisions.

The course has been developed following discussions with corporate stakeholders who have provided the localised knowledge needed for managers working on a multinational scale.

Modules focus on all stages of project management, from staff recruitment to international relocation.

Individuals who complete the course will gain 18 months membership to the IAPM; the only professional body the Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business recognises. They will be able to use the MIPM accreditation, which is recognised in 145 countries worldwide, on their business card and resume.

Localised knowledge

Key to the MIPM - and the oil and gas industry as a whole – is an understanding of the importance of localised expertise in a variety of markets. Input into the course has been gained from operators in the USA, Singapore, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

Finding skilled oil and gas professionals with localised knowledge is essential for countries looking to expand their industry, such as Malaysia, particularly as energy demand increases as the world lifts itself out of the economic crisis.

Analysts told the Malaysia Star the country is looking to attract foreign nationals with such expertise, as the funds are not available to instil such skills in the national workforce.

"Some of the O&G expertise takes years to develop, especially in areas of deep-sea O&G exploration," the news provider said.

Dubai, an important centre for the petroleum industry for a number of years, is raising its hiring levels, according to the Financial Times; a move that is in line with the rest of the countries in the Gulf.

However, the region is placing much emphasis on developing its own workforce- expats who wish to find employment will have to up their game.

Tariq Sadiq, markets, accounts and business development leader for Middle East and North Africa (Mena) for professional services firm Ernst & Young, told the news provider, "Where expats are hired, the market requires deep skills at senior levels, experience of the region, commercial awareness and flexibility in understanding new trends."