Academy launches to teach civil servants how to run big projects

Academy launches to teach civil servants how to run big projects

Major Projects Leadership Academy aims to develop public sector's skills in managing big ICT and other projects

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has announced plans for an academy to boost the skills of senior project leaders across government to deliver complex ICT and other projects.

Each year two groups of about 25 people will enter the Major Projects Leadership Academy for a 12 month formal programme covering three primary themes: major project leadership, technical understanding of major project delivery and commercial capability.

Teaching and learning at the academy will be 60% practical and 40% theoretical/academic. Competence will be assessed at the beginning and end of the academic programme, and will lead to the creation of a personal development plan that will identify learning priorities for the following two years.

The Major Projects Leadership Academy will be fully launched in October 2012 and managed by the Cabinet Office Major Projects Authority (MPA). The MPA was launched last year to oversee major projects and its current portfolio contains more than 200 projects with a total value of some £400bn.

The aim of the academy will be to reduce reliance on external consultancy and build expertise within the civil service. According to the Cabinet Office, in future no one will be able to lead a major government project without completing their training with the academy.

"We do have impressive expertise in the public sector at the moment, but we want to take a long-term view and build this within Whitehall," said Maude.

Sir Bob Kerslake, head of the civil service, said he believed in the ability of the civil service to drive through big projects without always having to turn to expensive external consultants.

"The leadership academy will provide them with the skills and tools they need to manage these programmes successfully, ensuring they are delivered on time and on budget," he said.