BATTLE CREEK, Mich. –
The Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, recently hosted the very first Defense Acquisition University Fundamentals of Project Management Training Workshop.
The four-day instruction was tailored for local DLA employees and led by DAU instructors Miranda Lewis and Russ Riva, who presented extensive knowledge on project management and connected with participants through relatable references. Both Lewis, a Marine Corps veteran, and Riva, an Air Force veteran, engaged with the audience on an educational and interpersonal level.
The workshop delved into the five process groups of project management, including: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closure. Lewis emphasized that her objective for students was to gain the knowledge to contribute to effective and efficient project execution.
Lewis and Riva shared experiences and insights while discussions were aimed at enhancing overall team understanding, prompting employees to consider crucial questions about project planning and progress.
The course was a collaboration between DLA Disposition Services Resource Management, led by Maggie Mieras, and the DAU team.
Their partnership over the past year led to the development of this workshop. Mieras highlighted the significance of face-to-face training, addressing gaps in knowledge and understanding of project management within the workforce. While project management experience is often assumed in various business aspects, this workshop serves as essential baseline training, Mieras said.
DAU is currently formalizing the workshop into a catalogued course, WSM 030-Fundamentals of Project Management, with plans to offer the course again in Battle Creek in July. The interest sparked in the course revealed the need for additional offerings, not only at the headquarters level but also at DLA Disposition Services field locations.