Project Management Training Case Study:

Enhancing Project Competency within GrantRail

GrantRail Group is a UK-based group of companies, formed in 1996 through a joint venture between Volker Wessels and Corus.  GrantRail provide an all embracing range of contracting services to the railway infrastructure industry.

Since its formation, GrantRail has grown rapidly and has worked hard to become the supplier of choice to the rail industry and earn a reputation for engineering expertise, project performance, innovation and fair dealings with its customers and employees alike.

Providing structure

In striving to attain and maintain this privileged position, GrantRail recognised that their own project management methodology, including the supporting processes and procedures, needed to be enhanced in-line with current best practice.  The output of this assignment was the provision of a bespoke GrantRail Project Management Manual that describes GrantRail’s approach to project delivery throughout the project lifecycle.  PMProfessional are proud to be associated with GrantRail in this respect through the provision of consultancy and development services.

Individual competence

Updating and redevelopment of the project management methodology would serve little purpose if this is not communicated throughout the business.  To this end, GrantRail recognised that the competence of the project community needed to be assessed and thus developed a competency framework from which areas of weakness per individual and group within the community could be identified.

This framework has allowed GrantRail to concentrate on those areas that require development, but at the same time provide the project community with training in a recognised project management qualification, supported by further individual competency development through an NVQ route.

Visible management support is seen throughout the development and delivery of this programme, which is key to its continuing success.