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The inaugural Informa Lloyds List DCN Breakbulk and Project Cargo conference in Perth at Novotel Langley Hotel immediately preceded the sixth PPG 'Certificate of Achievement in Project Cargo Management' education program from 18-19 May 2011. Over 105 students from 32 countries have now completed these courses. We are delighted to advise that the program was a huge success, with all students advising of their complete satisfaction. The course contained a wealth of knowledge and information sharing which we are certain will hold all attendees in good stead for the future and assist them in changing their future understanding and approach to project cargo management. Participating students came from Australia and Germany and follows the success of the first course in Mumbai, India (Jan 2009); Bremen, Germany (Oct, 2009; Singapore (Feb 2010); Houston, USA (Oct 2010) which was held in conjunction with The Journal of Commerce Breakbulk Exhibition; Singapore (Jan 2011) in conjunction with the Breakbulk Asia conference and exhibition.
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PPG's next courses are scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (13-14 June, 2011) in conjunction with the annual PPG conference; and New Orleans (27-28 October, 2011) in conjunction with the Breakbulk Americas conference and exhibition. Email
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to register your Expression of Interest and request further information for all future courses.
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Shaping the future
Specialist project forwarding training is a sound and increasingly urgent industry investment. Project freight forwarders often comment that everybody seems to be working against them. From the client who wants a quote 10 minutes before a meeting to the diverse workforces that are engaged to help with the safe delivery of the cargo and who have not got the slightest interest in doing any more than they have to and quite often with little regard to urgency to meet just in time deadlines. |
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These challenges are not new and experienced project cargo managers have numerous ‘tricks of the trade’ that they have filed way after more than 20 and sometimes 30 years in the business. They have a ready response to many scenarios, a solution to most major problems or concerns and accept responsibility for every aspect of the project at hand. These raise a laugh. But with everyone working against you the risks are high of damaged cargo, missing a connection, a route survey that goes wrong, misunderstandings about who pays for what, misinterpreted chartering terms, inadequate information or other disasters in the waiting for the inexperienced and unwary.
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All good reasons for clients not to consider your bid, or to switch to another forwarder mid-project. This is happening all too often. The reasons for this are largely centered on the skills shortage in the project forwarding industry and the general lack of training and education to meet the needs of the future. Our experienced workforce is aging and more and more responsibilities are being thrust on junior employees who are taking on tasks they have had little training and preparation to cope with.
How are these employees going to cope in the future as projects are only going to get bigger and more complex? This was the catalyst for the development of the Certificate of Achievement in Project Cargo Management.
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The training is designed to fast track skills that otherwise could take many years to acquire and is aimed at rising stars in companies who want to strengthen their teams working in the heavy-lift project forwarding sector. It is not a technical course, but rather focuses on powerful ideas that are guaranteed to expand thinking, challenge assumptions, and take the attendees project forwarding acumen to a higher level. It is remarkable to think that previous attendees have commented after the course that they wish they had received this information much earlier in their careers as it would have been of great benefit. This further demonstrates the knowledge gap that the industry has to fill.
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The companies who have sent representatives to the training have demonstrated a firm commitment to the professional development of their staff and regard training as a strategic and urgent investment.
Employees who can’t write well not only lose effectiveness and efficiency, they lessen their own credibility and persuasiveness particularly concerning project communication and responses to tender requests. Attendees are provided with course materials that can be applied and referred to on their return to the workplace.
The Certificate of Achievement in Project Cargo Management is open to all companies involved with the management of heavy-lift, project cargo and over dimensional freight forwarding, but can be refined to suit almost any associated industry.
This course is also an opportunity to develop extensive networks and industry connections.
A pleasing development is the recognition from the client and major heavy-lift ports that the course is of interest to their workforce to not only learn more about the issues facing the project forwarders, but to also provide feedback from their perspective on what they need to ensure the success of the project. This also applies to other intermediaries such as shippers and stevedores.
The Certificate of Achievement in Project Cargo Management supports a win-win philosophy that goes a long way to enhancing the professional reputation of an industry that sometimes is its own worst enemy.
Kevin Stephens has over 40 years of international industry experience that provides a wealth of knowledge covering all aspects of the supply chain, particularly project forwarding, ship-broking, chartering and contract management activities. He is the founder and general manager of Project Professionals Group. Rodger Hall is a business communication consultant who has extensive university experience teaching professional and technical writing.
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