HII Partners with Skillsoft to Empower Project Managers with Essential Certification
HII, America’s leading shipbuilder and global defense provider, understands the vital importance of efficient project management for its projects. Recognizing the pivotal role project managers (PMs) play, HII is committed to equipping them with the knowledge and resources needed to excel in their roles. When HII’s leadership asked project managers what they needed to help them stay ahead of the curve and continue to succeed, the resounding response was a desire for support in obtaining the prestigious Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
The PMP certification, recognized globally, is a credential awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a professional organization for project managers. Eligibility for the PMP exam requires a minimum of 36 months of project management experience, 4,500 hours of project management leadership experience, and completion of 35 hours of project management education.
THE CHALLENGE
In response to PMs’ aspirations, HII Mission Technologies collaborated with Skillsoft to develop a tailored program that would prepare PMs for the rigorous PMP certification journey. Skillsoft’s Professional Services team worked closely with HII Mission Technologies leaders to create a private PMP boot camp designed to provide applicants with the knowledge and resources needed to succeed.
Skillsoft structured the PMP training as after-hours sessions to accommodate busy PMs, consisting of two-hour segments twice a week. This approach ensured that participants could engage in training without sacrificing personal commitments or feeling overwhelmed.
HII Mission Technologies enthusiastically embraced the challenge of delivering a learning program that addressed employees’ personal and professional growth. The primary objective was to achieve a completion rate of 80% to 100%, reflecting its commitment to nurturing its employees’ development.
THE SOLUTION
Skillsoft’s Professional Services team conducted three distinct sessions, each catering to a different cohort of PMs. The exceptional engagement observed during the second cohort prompted HII Mission Technologies leadership to extend the program to a third cohort.
The collaboration between HII Mission Technologies and Skillsoft trained 150 individuals, with 50 participants in each cohort. Skillsoft’s Professional Services team used Percipio, Skillsoft’s AI powered learning platform, to create a customized journey encompassing comprehensive training, learning materials, and valuable references necessary for PMP certification. The program was also continuously growing due to applicant feedback. As the team found additional resources, the Professional Services team added them to the channels that learners were already using.
The Professional Services team then took proactive measures to support applicants in their preparation for the certification test, hosting support sessions throughout the journey to answer questions and provide resources.
Assisting learners in completing their PMP certification application was a priority, so the team created an Excel outline that mirrored the certification application and provided review sessions to ensure learners were submitting comprehensive applications. The team even added examples of applications that were accepted, so learners could see what others have done successfully and adapt that to their own goals.
Recognizing the challenges of the PMP application process, the team ensured that each cohort received a dedicated application session. Furthermore, they assigned a subject matter expert to review each learner’s application, providing additional support and guidance. To provide personalized support, selected learners received extended check-ins to address their questions and concerns. Valuable feedback collected from these check-ins was then shared with the entire group, fostering collaboration, and ensuring everyone remained on the same page.
The learners also benefitted from the following elements of the program:
- Audit support: The program provided guidance and support to individuals whose applications required additional information.
- Emphasized accountability and follow-up, with personalized emails and support to ensure participants attended classes and stayed on track.
- The program encouraged participants to complete the certification process promptly. Those who completed the program closer to when they enrolled were more likely to achieve certification
To close out each cohort, the Professional Services team invited a member from a prior cohort who successfully completed the program and passed the PMP exam to share their experience. This gave learners further reassurance that they could achieve success.
IMPACT FROM THE OVERALL ENGAGEMENT WITH SKILLSOFT
150
Started the program
139
Active participants at the end of the bootcamps
86
Completed the PMP application and are pursuing their PMP exam for certification within the next year.
38
Passed the PMP exam on the first attempt.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HII
HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII’s mission is to deliver the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world. As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 43,000 strong.