The principles and skills of project management should be taught much earlier

Project management competences are essential for the successful management of work packages in today’s global business environments. Associated skills such as influencing others, negotiating and the planning and organizing of activities are vital for those who wish to be effective at whatever they do. This is not limited to the work place. These skills are fully transferable to most life and work situations. As such, skills can be used at school, college, university and in private life. These skills should be taught to young students much earlier.

This paper investigates the level of project management that is currently being taught at Secondary Grammar/Gymnasium/Sixth Form schools in the UK, Austria and the Czech Republic. It appears that project management is taught at a relatively small number of selective schools only and that there is a lot of scope and interest to teach young students the essential principles and skills of project management as early as 14 years of age.

The outcome of this research suggests that it is desirable that young students are given the opportunity to learn more about project management competences and skills so they can learn and apply these in their educational, working and private lives.