Scholarship Winner Reflects on ‘Pivotal’ Project Management Training

“The Project Management Certificate Program has been pivotal in my professional growth,” said Rajesh Kumar Yadav, winner of UC Davis CPE’s Build Your Own Career Scholarship, which enabled him to complete the online Project Management Certificate Program. 

“Completing the certificate program marked a significant milestone for me,” said Rajesh. “While it's still early to assess the full impact of the scholarship, I'm optimistic about its potential to further support my career advancement.” 

When we last spoke with Rajesh, he had just been awarded the scholarship and was looking forward to beginning his project management training with us. Less than a year later, Rajesh has successfully completed his project management education and is looking forward to securing an international role within the development field, leveraging his expertise to make a global impact. He also recently launched an NGO in his native Nepal—Hope for a better life—aimed at supporting marginalized communities in remote areas. 

We spoke with Rajesh just after he earned his project management certificate to learn more about what he’s accomplished this past year, how the program helped him get there and what’s next in his career journey. 

What’s new since we last spoke? 

I took on the dual responsibility of project manager and Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, Learning lead and successfully wrapped up my role as a project manager in June 2024. Currently, I'm actively seeking a new job, specifically targeting international opportunities. Several organizations in Nepal have approached me to include my CV in their bidding proposals, but currently my focus remains on securing at least a short-term position in INGOs or a project management consulting company out of Nepal. This will give me a new exposure to international jobs. 

What have you accomplished since completing the Project Management Certificate Program? 

Completing the Project Management Certificate Program has given me the confidence to manage projects in ways I couldn't have before attending. It has solidified my understanding of project management methodologies and filled practical skill gaps that I previously lacked. As a result, my former organization trusted me with more senior roles in upcoming projects with higher pay. I successfully concluded projects under my management, ensuring smooth handovers and achieving project objectives effectively. 

What progress have you made toward achieving your goal of overseeing a portfolio of development projects on a global scale? 

The Project Management Certificate Program has given me the confidence to apply for roles in international organizations outside of Nepal. I've updated my CV to showcase the skills I gained, positioning myself as a stronger candidate for project manager roles, and I was recently shortlisted for an interview with a UK-based nonprofit organization for a Governance and Performance Reporting Lead role. Securing an international job from Nepal does possess challenges and takes some time, but I am confident in my ability to achieve this goal. 

What did you find most valuable about the certificate program? 

This certificate program has been an invaluable learning experience for me and has far exceeded my expectations. 

The instructors were exceptional, truly among the best globally. Their dedication to helping students achieve their professional development goals was outstanding.

 I've taken a few online MOOCs and short courses from other reputed institutions, but none have matched the quality of this experience. The course content, assignments and reading materials were all of exceptional quality. The assignments provided a real-world project learning experience that can be directly applied across projects. 

This program is ideal for both newcomers and experienced professionals alike. For newcomers, it serves as an excellent starting point in their career journey. For experienced professionals, it offers an opportunity to reflect on areas for improvement and refine their skills further. 

How else have you benefited from the program? 

Despite having worked on development projects for several years, after taking this program, I realized that I was not familiar with many of the terms, tools and techniques in project management. This realization was eye-opening, as it highlighted areas where I had been lacking in my professional practice. 

The course content aligned closely with the PMBOK, which proved invaluable in preparing for the PMP exam. It also fulfilled the requirement of 35 hours of project management education/training necessary for PMP certification. Most importantly, the program significantly enhanced my ability to perform my daily job tasks with greater efficiency and effectiveness. 

How were you able to apply what you learned in the program to work? 

Based on the learning from this program, I developed a stakeholder management plan and refined my risk management tools. Understanding both agile and waterfall methodologies enabled me to tailor detailed implementation plans for the project activities. While my recent project was in its last year, limiting the scope to apply all learnings extensively, I am eager to apply these skills from the project initiation stage in future projects. 

What key skills did you learn in the program? 

Throughout the program, I acquired skills essential for successful project management. I learned to develop crucial documents such as the Project Charter, Requirement Traceability Matrix, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Resource Management Plan, Project Status Report and project procurement plan. These documents are vital for providing clarity and direction, ensuring efficient resource management throughout the project lifecycle. 

I gained proficiency in using tools and techniques to estimate project activity durations and costs accurately. I learned to assess schedule and cost variances promptly, allowing me to address deviations from the project plan efficiently. I acquired knowledge of identifying and applying project schedule and budget recovery techniques, which is crucial for mitigating delays or budget overruns and keeping projects on track. I also learned to distinguish between project risks and issues and effectively apply the PMBOK project risk management framework to manage uncertainties. 

Quality management principles, including planning, assurance, and control, were also integral parts of my learning. These concepts equipped me with the tools to maintain high standards throughout project execution, delivering outputs that meet stakeholder expectations. 

What was the online learning experience like? 

The online learning experience was fantastic. It didn't feel like a typical online class. It felt like I was engaged in face-to-face study. 

Instructors actively involved us in group discussion forums and encouraged peer-to-peer learning. Their ability to explain complex concepts clearly made difficult course content much easier to grasp. The instructors provided invaluable personalized feedback and guidance, which was instrumental in helping me achieve my academic goals. They excelled in every aspect of teaching, leaving me with no suggestions for improvement. All of them were truly fabulous. The instructors were also prompt in reviewing our assignments and offered constructive criticism that motivated us to brainstorm ideas and maximize our learning from each module. 

Overall, the online learning environment was not only enriching but also enjoyable.