What is Primavera P6 training? While this may seem like an odd question, you may want to think about the different number of Primavera P6 courses available today and the myriad of delivery methods. The answer then becomes a little more nuanced.
If you’ve decided to take a Primavera P6 training class, it could be for one of the following reasons:
- Your organization has recommended training in Primavera P6
- Primavera P6 is an important part of your career path and goals
- You know Primavera P6 Professional and now need to learn Primavera P6 EPPM
- You just want to increase your knowledge in Primavera P6 for personal reasons
There are numerous reasons why candidates embark on Primavera P6 training, but ultimately it’s to broaden their knowledge and experience in the use of the tool.
Next, you would have to decide what level of training you require. For example, it wouldn’t be beneficial to take an advanced class if you were just starting out and still need to learn the basics.
A refresher course may be required if, for example, you are returning to the work place after maternity leave or you have been on a sabbatical. Sometimes the level of training is decided by your organization. But, if you have any influence or you are starting training on your own, it’s worth reviewing some of the sample options below.
Primavera P6 Training Available
Here’s a look at a few of the most common Primavera P6 courses folks take:
- Primavera P6 Fundamentals is a basic course designed for those who are new to using Primavera and who will need to use it in a project management capacity
- Primavera Advanced Topics is suitable for users who are competent with Primavera P6 and want to take a deeper dive into the more advanced features
- Primavera P6 EPPM Fundamentals is for users new to Primavera P6 EPPM (web version)
- Primavera P6 EPPM Administrator is a course for folks who are going to be Primavera P6 EPPM administistrators
- Primavera EVM is suitable for project professionals at an advanced level who want to understand Primavera P6’s Earned Value capabilities
- Primavera Reporting with BI Publisher teaches delegates how to use the Business Intelligence reporting technology to generate P6 EPPM reports
- Primavera Risk Analysis is suitable for project professionals at an advanced level with a basic knowledge of risk and risk management
Once you’ve selected the course you are interested in, now you have options for the type of delivery methods, which will suit you best.
Available Delivery Methods for Primavera P6
We come quite far from the single delivery option of classroom training. While still a popular option, today you have many more choices than just this.
- On-demand training – this hugely popular option allows users to watch the classes on any device, at their leisure. Companies do not have the travel and living expenses incurred by sending attendees to classroom based classes. Video training is versatile with participants able to pause, restart, take notes and rewind to go over the subject matter again and pick up where they left off. Instead of flip charts, video training offers animation and things you cannot do in a classroom creating a highly visual learning package. Hands-on exercises and quizzes are designed to test knowledge and allow participants to get plenty of practical Primavera P6 experience.
- Onsite classes just for your organization – Companies engage a training provider to train a group of individuals all together (who ideally are at the same level). The advantages of this type of training are that attendees do not have to travel further than their regular work place. Companies do not have to pay any travel expenses for every attendee, just for the instructor to come to you.
- Remote training – Using web conferencing services such as WebEx, GoToMeeting and Live Meeting allow for very effective remote training. The benefits of remote training are:
- No travel & living expenses
- Personalized tuition
- Class content flexibility where we can talk specifically about your situation
- Class pace is faster due to fewer distractions from other students
- Date and time flexibility
In addition, you could arrange to take the course in the work place or at home.
- Customized training – This type of training is also known as role based training and it is tailored to individual job roles. With role based training, every role will be taught the company polices, processes, procedures, naming conventions, etc. in conjunction with Primavera P6. Follow-up webinars, video vignettes, brown bags, etc. offer further support and additional learning opportunities.
- Open Public training classes – If you book one of these, a reputable training provider will go ahead with the class even if the class is has no other attendees! It is provided in a formal classroom style setting. The recommend number of attendees should not exceed 12.
After selecting the type of training and how you’d like it delivered, next you will want to choose your training provider. This can prove to be a bit of a minefield. If you Google ‘Primavera P6 training’ there are many options available, so how do you decide?
Points to Consider in the Selection of a Training Provider
- Does the training provider offer a guided learning path? A learning path takes you through from beginner to advanced user. Learning paths typically broaden your skill-set more and often make the training more effective. An example of a guided learning path with Primavera P6 would be the following, very popular, on-demand classes:
Primavera P6 Guided Learning Path
- Research the training provider’s quality of trainers. Are they experienced? Have they worked with Primavera P6 and are they familiar with the training materials? Are they full-time trainers, on staff with the training provider or are they contractors?
- Does the training provider own their training materials, which can be customized to suit the trainee? If not, are they the standard Oracle materials? Standard Oracle materials cannot be changed. So any customization tends to involve skipping non-relevant sections and then adding PowerPoint slides to augment areas not covered. This ad hoc approach results in a less structured class that can affect the quality of the learning experience.
- Does the training provider offer all of the different delivery methods listed above? If, for example, they don’t offer open classes, how often are they really training folks?
- Does the training provider have a proven track record? Look for testimonials from previous folks who have received training from them.
Summary
Choosing the right training is a simple three-step process. First, decide on the course that you wish or need to take. Second, select the type of delivery method, which you find most effective. Whether this is a self-paced, on-demand video training or an interactive classroom setting.
Third, and probably the most important, is selecting a reputable training provider. Check the company’s credentials.
- Do they own the training materials?
- What’s their cancellation policy if only a few attendees register for a class (will you bunped to the next class)?
- How often do they hold open public training classes (an indication of how busy the company is and how often their trainers are in front of attendees)?
- How experienced are the trainers?
Training is a personal experience. Most candidates have preconceived ideas as to how the training should be delivered and in what type of setting. Today, there are more options available then ever before, so don’t settle for less!