‘Policy deployment is the key to quick project implementation’

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

With the government likely to spend around $500 billion for infrastructure development in the next five years, there are a lot of opportunities in project management in the country. Last month, US-based Project Management Institute (PMI), a leading membership association for the project management professionals, opened its office in India to support the growing base of project management professionals. India has the third largest PMI membership, after the US and Canada, with seven chapters and over 14,000 members. Founded in 1969, the institute has globally more than 2,60,000 members in 170 countries and provides members access to knowledge, skills and educational support and networking opportunities needed to drive business results through project management, programme management and portfolio management. FE’s Saikat Neogi talks to Gregory Balestrero, chief executive officer of Project Management Institute, to find out the reasons for the institute’s focus on India, the challenges and opportunities in infrastructure sector. Excerpts:

The biggest bottleneck in the infrastructure sector in India is the lack of trained manpower. How can it be addressed?

It is not only India, which is suffering from lack of skill sets. Managing talent is a global problem. The Gulf countries are projecting a shortfall of six million people in the sector in the next five years. It’s the same in China. So, demand for skill professionals is a problem through out Asia. India will have to compete for skilled labour and this means higher salaries for trained manpower.

How can the gap be filled?

India produces more number of engineers, scientists and technologists than any other countries in the world. But they are graduating without the skills necessary to manage critical projects. So, we should work with universities to establish courses in project management. We are also going to work with IITs and IIMs to set up graduate and executive programmes in project management. The second aspect is to work with existing engineers and technologist to train them and certify them in project management. This is where we come in as registered education providers.

How critical is infrastructure project management for India’s growth?