Building on efforts to create a world-class civil service, the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) has launched a training and development programme to embed formal project management principles and practices, and business case development skills into its day-to-day practices.

“This programme will provide additional opportunities for civil servants to build skills and knowledge in business case development and project management best practices,” said Acting Governor, Franz Manderson “Futhermore, it supports the delivery of the 5-Year Strategic Plan for a World-Class Civil Service by making a contribution under the priority goals: good governance, leadership and talent development”.

The Cayman Islands Government has partnered with UK based company CITI (www.citi.co.uk) to deliver this programme of training and development. CITI is a renowned centre of expertise for organisations wanting to develop and enhance their project, programme and change management capability. CITI’s team comprises a broad scope of experienced individuals who are experts, pioneers and thought leaders in their field.

Coordinated by the Strategic Reforms Implementation Unit (SRIU), a unit under the Office of the Deputy Governor, this development opportunity is built around four key elements:
§ An initial capability assessment which identifies gaps in knowledge and provides baseline data that will be used to measure programme outcomes;
§ Interactive in-class sessions designed to encourage a culture of learning while building skills, knowledge and competencies in key topics areas over five months;
§ Course, facilitated by CITI, designed to ensure participants gain a good understanding of the required topics; and
§ An external exam culminating in an internationally recognised certification in either Business Case Development or Project Management.

Over the last two weeks of June 2018 the 100 participants selected for this pilot programme participated in an orientation session, marking the first step in their five-month journey that leads to an internationally recognised qualification in either Project Management or Business Case Development.
30 different government departments are participating, including: Cabinet Office, Cayman Islands Fire Service, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Department of Education, Needs Assessment Unit and Government Information Services. In addition to the 100 pilot participants, the programme also includes workshops for political and strategic leaders which will be delivered later this year.

“This is a cost-effective way for civil servants to develop these skills and gain access to an internationally accredited certification,” said Deputy Chief Advisor SRIU, Dr. Tasha Ebanks Garcia. “I am confident that we can demonstrate value for money given the programme deliverables, the quality of the programme and the anticipated benefits this programme is expected to deliver.”

The 2018 programme comes at a total cost of CI$59,850.40, which includes all programme expenses including: individual assessments, learning modules, online access to learning resources, course facilitated by accredited trainers from the UK, exam (including fees), workshops for political and strategic leaders, travel and other related expenses for accredited trainers, and all related training material and supplies. This translates into a per-participant cost of CI$527.53 for those pursing the project management certification, and CI$564.96 for those pursing the business case certification.

This training will contribute to the development of professional standards by exposing civil servants to best practice standards for project management and business case development. It will also support the effective implementation of The Procurement Law and its requirements for business cases.

“This initiative, in due course, should significantly professionalise project management and business case development within the service, ultimately enhancing value for money and effectiveness,” said programme participant and the Acting Director of Special Projects in Cabinet Office, Robert Lewis.

“I am excited about the up-coming professional development opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge in producing business cases,” said the Director of the Department of Education Services and programme participant Lyneth Monteith “At the Department of Education Services the procurement of goods and services is a crucial part of our work. This requires the officers to execute the correct procedures in the right way. The course schedule is a “no-hassle” one, which has been crafted to accommodate personnel with extremely busy schedules.”

Other participants were equally impressed with the course content and its applicability to the work of their entitites. “It was obvious from the very comprehensive orientation that SRIU put a lot of thought into the programme, including the support that they are offering participants,” remarked GIS Chief Information Officer Suzette Ebanks. “I look forward to taking part in the project and believe it has the potential to greatly benefit GIS staff.”

“I am quite eager to engage further in this learning opportunity. I have found the orientation session to be extremely friendly, informative and engaging,” said Acting Deputy Director of Operation and Work in the Public Works Department, Robert David Johnson.” As an agent representative providing assessments and information needed for client’s business cases, the Better Business Case programme will allow us to better anticipate the need from our client’s perspective, and provide us with tools to assist them with putting forward their proposals.”

IMAGES:

SRIlaunchorientation1: Dr Tasha Ebanks Garcia, Deputy Chief Advisor – SRIU, leads a recent orientation sessions.
SRIlaunchorientation: Dr Tasha Ebanks Garcia, Deputy Chief Advisor – SRIU, leads a recent orientation sessions.

Additional Information

As thinking tools business cases help someone make an informed decision. Done well, they help Cabinet to decide if a project is worth doing. They provide a robust basis for answering that question, because they clearly explain the costs, benefits and risks of each option and compare and contrast them to identify and justify the best solution. Once a course of action is approved, formal project management methodology supports project teams as they deliver the approved solution. Project plans specify in detail what steps will be taken, who is responsible for what, what will be delivered, by when and for how much.

Sixty persons are pursuing a Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) offered by the Association for Project Management (APM). Committed to developing and promoting project and programme management APM is the chartered body for the project profession based out of the United Kingdom.
Forty persons are pursuing a Better Business Cases (Foundation) Qualification offered by APMG International whose, certification schemes, exam and accreditation services enable organisations and professionals to maximise their effectiveness through the use of the latest methodologies and core competencies.

Those persons who are successful in achieving these foundational qualifications will have the opportunity to pursue the next level of qualification in both the areas of project management and business case development in 2019. At that time those persons who did not have the opportunity to participate in the pilot will be considered.