8 Free Project Management Courses to Boost Your Skills

Project management is a field that requires continual learning and development. PMs who stay updated on the latest knowledge and trends see their careers take off.

In this blog post, you will discover 8 free project management courses. These courses are available completely free of charge and they will help you develop your skills as a project manager. If you’re ready to upgrade your career in project management, check out these top 8 free project management courses now!

1-   1-Diploma in Project Management

T  This free online diploma course teaches you how to implement project phases like a professional that gets things done. It guides you through every aspect of project management clearly and simply.

Link to the course 

2-      2-   Free E-mail course for project managers

This is your starting point if you want to expand your field of influence as a leader and see tangible results FAST. A free Course for Project Managers, Program Managers, and Team Leaders delivered straight to your inbox.

         Link to the course 

3-     3- Google project management professional certificate

In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than six months.

          Link to the course 

 

4-    4-Project Management Basics

 A YouTube video presented by Strategia Netherlands showcasing a quick guide for project management basics that allows an understanding of project terms, the 5 phases of project management, and the documents needed for the successful implementation of the project management plan

  Link to the course  

5-        5- Project manager Free learning and resource

T   Think of project management as the art and science of making things happen. Project managers are detail-oriented problem solvers who motivate and lead a project team to deliver a client's solution. They initiate, plan, execute, and monitor projects that lead to success.

  Link to the course  

6-         6- Project Management Updated – PMBOK7

T      This course covers:

·        The values of project management and the twelve principles that guide behavior

·        The performance domains of stakeholders, teams, development approach and lifecycle, and planning

·        The performance domains of project work, delivery, measurement, and uncertainty

·        The tailoring of projects, and the use of models, methods, and artifacts

Link to register for the course

7-  7- PMP Project Management - Fundamental Concepts for Beginners

     This is a free course for newcomers to project management who want to learn what sitting the official PMP exam entails. 

      Link to the course       

8 – Principles of agile project management 

This is a free online project management course hosted on the edx platform.

                   Link to the course 

Project management is a challenging yet rewarding career for those who enjoy organization and logistics. To excel in this role, it’s crucial to build your skills with project management courses.

Consider these free project management courses if you want to take on a new project manager position. You can start any of these courses today, at your own pace and conveniently from home.

Visit our website www.zpmengineers.com for more resources and updates.

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How to implement successful Construction Management?

Have you ever felt that you will fulfill your career as an Engineer if you are present on the project construction site, where the action is taking place, and the project is ongoing, and you are part of it? Then this post is for you.

Problems occur on the project site daily and the lack of connection causes mistakes that can delay the schedule and drive additional project costs.

One of the most important aspects of construction management, whether it is for water tanks, bridges, or office buildings, is the scheduling of work crews.

Scheduling requires a detailed view of all the materials, machinery, and workers you should use at every stage since this will allow you to know when to perform each task.

Estimating is a must-do activity for any construction manager.

The most common problem on any project site is communication. Collaboration among the team members is key to the success of any project. If the team members are not in touch with each other, they will not be able to communicate effectively, which might lead to mistakes.

Another common problem is the lack of connection between the team members and stakeholders. This is a prevalent scenario on construction projects where the contractor hires the team members, and stakeholders are the owners or designers.

A construction manager is responsible for overseeing the work on a construction site. He eventually helps reduce the risks of disputes on-site, inconsistent reporting, and coordination hurdles. He should also ensure that the work on site proceeds according to the plan and appropriate standards.

Construction management enables teams to do things quickly and accurately to facilitate the workflow and improve the quality of work.

You might be wondering how the site problems can be solved or reduced. Well, It is critical to implement construction management practices with correct project management software use that streamlines various tasks and minimizes human errors.

Construction management is the process of managing project activities that are directly involved with the construction of a project. It is an integrated management approach directed toward the successful implementation of a construction project within the established cost, time, and quality targets.

Construction management is typically associated with large projects where it is difficult for a single company to provide all the required expertise.

The Construction Management process consists of 5 stages – initial planning, strategy and design, procurement, contract management, and closeout.

The initial planning stage

 It is the very first stage of construction management where the project owner and key stakeholders identify the project and decide the type of procurement to be used.

The strategy and design stage

 It is the stage where the owner and designer decide on the project's design. This stage is closely linked to the procurement phase where the designer and owner must decide on the contractors.

The procurement stage

This is the stage where the owner decides on the contractors and the contractors decide on the subcontractors. This stage is closely linked to the strategy and design stage.

The contract management stage

In this stage, the owner and contractors are responsible for managing the contractual terms and conditions.

The closeout stage

In this stage, the owner and contractors have to wrap up the project...

Indeed, construction management is not always glamorous, but it is a critical part of the project management process. By implementing the construction management plan, the entire project team can be more effective, and the project can be completed on time, on budget, and with quality.

Knowing the construction process sequence will allow you to allocate the right resources so that everything is ready on time.
Knowing how the materials need to be cut, clipped, or stained would allow a construction manager to make sure that each piece of lumber, concrete or decorative brick has been cut in line with specifications and building plans.

There are many aspects of construction management that you need to be aware of, and many tasks that you’ll have to do as a project manager. At ZPMEngineers, we provide you with an overview of all these crucial areas as well as a list of resources and project management courses, software, and practices to ensure the successful implementation of your project.

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Top 8 Green projects toward a low-Carbon Future

It's hard to believe that, as we're writing this post, about 80% of the world still relies on fossil fuels to some extent or another. We know that climate change is a looming crisis and it seems like the transition to cleaner energy sources should be among the most urgent priorities in our time. But let's take a step back and look at the bright side: We have a lot of creative minds working hard to create alternatives to avoid our dependence on fossil fuels.

In today’s rapidly changing global environment, renewable power generation projects have become nimble, sustainable, and innovative. Onshore and offshore wind power, solar, and geothermal

sources contribute to generating clean and renewable energy. Many emerging energy sources like hydrogen, wave and tidal energy already show great promise.

ONSHORE WIND

Onshore wind power generation is the oldest form of renewable energy and more than 60 countries have already started using it. It has the added benefit of being renewable and environmentally friendly, as opposed to green energy sources such as solar or nuclear power. There are a few types of onshore wind turbines that produce electricity for homes and businesses, but these models are too large to provide electricity for smaller communities.

OFFSHORE WIND

You might be surprised to hear that the fastest growing form of renewable energy is wind power – and it's not even close. There are hundreds of billions of dollars going into offshore wind farms all over the world, and many other forms of renewable energy have experienced a surge in growth as well.

The cost of wind turbines has come down over the years and now most installations run at cost-competitiveness with fossil fuel-based power sources.

SOLAR

Solar power generation projects are constantly introducing new technologies and more extensive facilities and, in many countries, the solar capacity has already exceeded the target capacity set for 2022 as governments keep setting ambitious targets for decarbonization. Many projects paused during covid-19 lockdowns are getting back to work which means an increase of 32% in PV capacity according to BloombergNEF.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Geothermal energy is one of the most promising renewable energy sources and its use for power production, heating, and cooling buildings through geothermal heat pumps is increasing.

WAVE AND TIDAL

Ocean wave and tidal current energy are the two types of ocean energy that are most advanced and are expected to contribute significantly to the supply of energy in the future. The global wave and tidal energy market size was valued at USD 1233.21 million in 2021 and is predicted to reach USD 28802.48 million by 2030, increasing at a CAGR of 41.92% from 2022 to 2030.

HYDROELECTRIC

Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam or diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river or other body of water. Hydropower supplies one-sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined.

BIOENERGY

Bioenergy is one of many diverse resources available to help meet our energy demand. It is a form of renewable energy that is derived from recently living organic materials known as biomass, which can be used to produce transportation fuels, heat, electricity, and products.

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed, produces only water. It can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind. Hydrogen is a key component of future energy systems, especially when it is produced without carbon dioxide emissions.

As the renewable energy industry continues its upward trajectory, and as concerns about climate change and the demand for cleaner energy sources continue to accelerate, there will be greater emphasis on analyzing, designing, building, and operating infrastructure projects that support the generation of clean energy from natural resources.

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7 Best Tools in 2022 for Information Management

Have you ever considered the advantages of sharing accessible information between your team members? Do you struggle to find free Wiki tools that can help you manage your company information?

In today’s post, we will take you through the 7 best wiki tools that we have tried and they all have a free version.

Guru

Guru’s free starter pack can have up to three users. It’s a manageable wiki that allows sharing knowledge and to-dos through the use of cards. It can integrate with MS teams, slack, and many other applications, making sharing information easier for these apps.

Notion

Notion is a very popular app that allows effective collaboration between teams. The personal version is available for free. It’s very easy to use and the user can benefit from the large collection of community-made templates. It allows any user to design a roadmap, document libraries, meeting notes, a home space, dashboards, and websites all using drag and drop. The app also allows for creating to-do lists and managing enterprise knowledge which helps the company team to stay updated with a clear and valuable context.

Slab

Slab has a secured and integrated design that allows organizing content by topic. You can embed any file or document from other tools and apps quickly for example Asana, Slack, Dropbox, GitHub, and Google Docs. The free package contains limited features but they have a startup plan that can cost up to 6.7$ per month.

Confluence

Confluence is a perfect tool for teams working in multiple countries. It has a special feature that allows real-time editing which makes it possible for employees to work on the same page simultaneously.

It has templates that help to start a project from scratch and documents can be stored or exported into various formats (pdfs, docs, images, etc.) making it a good option for a small-sized company since its free version can offer features for up to 10 users.

 

Curiosity

Curiosity app for work is a productivity app that allows saving time by connecting with all the tools that you already use to give you a unique place to search all your documents and applications. It connects with tools and apps like google drive or Slack and the shortcut-powered command bar can help you access things quickly.

 It has advanced filter features that allow deeper searches. Curiosity is free on windows and mac and you can benefit from the safe use of your data on your pc with the possibility to get a free two-week trial of the Curiosity Pro version.

Nuclino

Nuclino offers a free version for up to 50 users, which makes it the choice of many startups, and the shift to its standard plan will cost $5 per month.

It has an easy interface and offers fast search, easy navigation, and real-time collaboration between teams which allows a better workflow and clear navigation through the company information.

Slite

Slite has a clean interface that allows remote teams to work efficiently. It allows for creating sharable notes and spaces and allows embedding content (videos, spreadsheets...)

It has a collection of free templates which makes it the choice of many growing companies.

If you want your company and teams to save time and improve their productivity by giving them one place to search, work, and share information. Head over our links provided and do not hesitate to download and start working with the best Wiki tools based on user comments, reviews of our own company users, and ratings from other sites.

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Cost Management Courses from Autodesk

Would you like to get concise easy to follow courses that will coach you as you develop your cost control and learn at your own pace?

How about offering a series of free cost management courses delivered to your inbox weekly from Autodesk?

Learn how to get ahead of the competition in construction projects today through the Effective Construction Cost Management Ecourse.

Each course is presented by an industry expert coach focusing on helping to understand what we need in order achieve cost management success at any level. You’ll discover a multi-dimensional approach to cost management in 4 lessons covering:

[Lesson 1] Effective Construction Cost Control: The Ball is in Your Court with Esteban Corrales

[Lesson 2] Standardization: The Cornerstone of Construction Cost Control with Jake Williams

[Lesson 3] Optimization: The Construction Cost Management Superpower with Josh Cheney

[Lesson 4] Your Mission: Transformation through Business Intelligence with Chris Fish

After receiving the courses, you’ll get the Effective Construction Cost Management Playbook -- all the lessons in one, easy-to-use PDF

sign up for the ecourse to refine your cost management skills today

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Considering installing solar panels? Our ultimate Guide is available for you!

 

Are you considering installing solar panels?

Well, solar systems are becoming more valuable with the high increase of electricity bills and the power shortages some countries are facing like Lebanon.

We got you covered with our expert Engineers. Their advice can pack a punch quite like today’s post.

For most people in Lebanon, Getting a solar panel is a financial decision. Knowing that the benefits of solar are many including reduced electricity costs, avoided carbon emission, and increased home value, it’s also important to talk about the cost of installing it as well as the factors that can affect the price you pay.

So How much does solar cost?

The short answer? It may cost you in Lebanon an average gross price of $10,000 but it depends on several factors:

the quality of the solar equipment you use, where you live, and even where you find that installer.

The cost of solar panels and solar inverters may vary depending on the quality of the equipment. Some have more efficiency, meaning more production per square meter of roof space.

Higher quality panels provide more efficiency when you have space restrictions on building rooftops.

They are priced 20% more than lower efficiency panels and they come in general with longer warranties which mean peace of mind for more than 20 years and better performance regardless of temperature limitations.

It’s important to compare prices by requesting multiple quotes the same way you compare when you purchase a car, a new HVAC system, or any home appliance. Price can differ from country to country depending on the amount of competition they face, the availability of labor, the cost to obtain a permit and equipment availability, and shipping costs.

Get in touch with ZPMEngineers for your free quote.

Below, we’ll present a summary of solar panel systems, as well as the equipment that you’ll need to produce power using the sun.

What are the basics of a solar panel system?

Solar panels are usually made of solar cells (made from the element silicon), wiring, a metal frame, and a glass cover

Solar panel systems work very simply: 

·         During the day, solar cells in your solar panels absorb the energy from sunlight; 

·         Circuits within the cells collect that energy and turn it into direct current (DC) energy; 

·         The DC electricity is passed through a device called an inverter to convert it to the usable alternating current (AC) electricity that comes out of your wall outlets; 

Can I store energy using a solar battery?

The primary function of solar energy storage is to store energy produced by solar panels for a later time as a backup source of power in the event of a grid outage.

The main advantage of installing a solar-plus-storage energy system is that it gives you the ability to use your solar electricity even when the sun isn’t shining. 

The four components of a solar panel system are:

1.    Solar photovoltaic panels

2.    Inverters–to convert DC electricity into AC electricity

3.    Racking and mounting systems–pieces of hardware that affix your solar panels to your roof.

4.    Performance monitoring systems–to track and monitor the output and health of your solar panels and inverters

What is the difference between String inverters and Microinverters?

A single inverter is the least expensive inverter option and is a very durable technology. Multiple strings of panels can be connected to each inverter; however, if the electricity production from one of the panels in a string drops (due to shading), it will reduce the performance of the whole string.

In the microinverters option, one is (usually) installed at each solar panel, which allows each panel to maximize production. If some of your panels are shaded at different times, microinverters will minimize performance issues. The cost of microinverters tends to be higher than the cost of string inverters.

How can we optimize the performance of our solar panel system?

To perform at their best, solar panels should face south and be installed at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees (depending on how far you are from the equator).

Panels facing east or west and at a pitch angle of five degrees or more will produce 20 percent less electricity than those installed under ideal conditions. You can use racking to incline your panels at an angle that is best for capturing the sun’s rays.

Whether your motivation to go solar is economic, environmental, or both, the Benefits are Endless! It’s time to take a serious look at solar.

Do not hesitate to get in touch with our experts today and request your free design and installation quote.

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