Participants in IPWEA’s Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning course have achieved a 67% uplift in their proficiency across a range of 12 capability areas, according to a survey of participants.
The course, delivered in partnership with Cahoot Learning, now has over 4000 alumni throughout the world since IPWEA launched the Asset Management Pathway in 2021 with the aim of providing structured learning for professionals wanting to uplift their knowledge and skills.
Outcomes from IPWEA’s partnership with Cahoot Learning have been published in a case study which demonstrates how the course is enhancing the skills of Asset Management professionals, and building a global network.
The case study shows an aggregation of post course surveys from 1052 alumni over two years has shown the extent of the uplift in skills, with the average capability moving from ‘Advanced Beginner’ to ‘Proficient’.
Some of the biggest improvements occurred in the ability of alumni to identify and document areas for improvement in an asset management plan. Where the average pre-course response was for participants to rate themselves as novices against this criteria, the rating for alumni post-course was beyond competent and almost at proficiency.
Other significant advances were in the ability to article the benefits of asset management planning, audit a completed asset management plan, identify and document plan improvements and connect expenditure projections to long term financial, climate adaptation and strategic plans. Improvements were reported across all 12 capability areas.
“It is very pleasing to see the capability uplift that the course is having across such a significant number of participants,” said IPWEA chief executive David Jenkins.
“This course is having a real impact on asset management professionals, not just in Australia, but also in New Zealand, Pacific Islands and the United States.”
The Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning is recognised as a global standard in Asset Management training. The course engages participants with hands-on experience through drafting an Asset Management Plan using data from their own organisation.
Course modules build the learning in stages with a range of video content, activities and peer interactions, supported by mentors from IPWEA to foster strong peer to peer engagement and the ability to implement course concepts back into the workplace.
88% of the participants reported they had learned from their peers during the course.
Rob Mizany, the Senior Analyst in the National AM Team at Kainga Ora New Zealand, said he had “limited understanding” prior to the course, but on completion he had gained greater confidence in speaking with colleagues.
“I actually had an opinion to add to the conversation,” Mizany said.
“The great thing about the course was that we were seeing and discussing other Asset Manager’s issues and plans and it really broadened our understanding.”
Cahoot Learning is a long term partner with IPWEA to deliver the learning platform, enabling an immersive experience which has delivered the positive results reported in the alumni survey.
Cahoot, which has been at the forefront of virtual course design and delivering since developing its bespoke platform in 2011, has a learning model built on fostering relationships between learners and leveraging the collective knowledge of the cohort.
The Cahoot pedagolgical approach is also officially certified by the Education Alliance Finland as “outstanding,” with an evaluation score of 95%.
Access the case study here.
