Join our accelerated bootcamp to start your journey towards becoming a successful project manager. Learn the five phases of project management, project management tools, and strategies, as well as gain an understanding of different project methodologies such as Waterfall, Critical Path, and Agile.
Learn the strategies, methods, and terminology commonly used in project management. Develop a practical understanding of the five stages of project management, focusing on the Initiation and Planning phases, and gain insight into the skills and responsibilities of a successful Project Manager.
Learn advanced project management techniques, including execution, monitoring, and closing phases. Learn to manage budgets, resources, and risks. Discover Agile Project Management and popular frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, and XP.
In an increasingly complex business world filled with digital projects and hosts of details that formerly didn’t exist, the field of project management has emerged as a professional specialization. Product managers are responsible for getting their organizations and teams from Point A to Point B: they break down tasks, assign responsibilities, specify deadlines, and see the project through from the planning stages to its completion. There is more than one way to skin a cat, and similarly, there is more than one way to manage projects professionally. This begins with the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge standard and extends to methodologies such as Waterfall, Critical Chain Project Management, and the Critical Path Method. Project Managers are trained in and experienced with applying these highly effective business techniques.
Advanced and accomplished Project Managers generally hold the PMP certification, which is earned through a combination of several years of work experience and passing the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam. Those starting in the field often hold the CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) certification. There are several other certifications available to people in the field as well. The one common thread is that certification is required for the better (and better-paying) positions in the field.
As the financial hub it is, Chicago will always need skilled Project Managers. But the field is in no way limited to the world of finance: even mid-size businesses employ full-time Project Managers to see that work gets done and gets done efficiently. In the world of professional project management, one needs more than just good organizational skills to succeed, although those are necessary as well. The skill set is so complex that the road to the top in project management passes through multiple levels of professional certification, culminating in passing the PMP exam after 3-5 years of on-the-job experience.
Major financial institutions like CME Group, Northern Trust, and Discover Financial Services regularly hire Project Managers to lead technology implementations, regulatory compliance projects, and operational improvements. In addition, consulting firms such as Deloitte, Accenture, and PwC provide career paths for Project Managers working on client-focused projects, including IT transformations, business process optimization, and organizational change management.
The technology and healthcare sectors in Chicago also offer robust opportunities for Project Managers. Companies like Grubhub, Sprout Social, and Salesforce employ Project Managers to oversee software development, digital product launches, and cross-functional technology projects. Meanwhile, healthcare organizations such as Northwestern Medicine, AbbVie, and Walgreens Boots Alliance seek Project Managers to coordinate research initiatives, clinical trials, and operational improvements.
Project Managers in Chicago earn approximately $95,000 per year (including bonuses). In more specialized fields (which, of course, require knowledge of the field of specialization), Software Project Managers in Chicago make as much as $160,000 per year, while Construction Project Managers earn over $85,000, and Healthcare Project Managers are paid nearly $93,000.
Noble Desktop offers a variety of live online project management classes, including Project Management 1, a one-day introduction to project management theory. For more advanced students, Noble also offers a PMP Certification Bootcamp that provides the 35 hours of classroom instruction that are a prerequisite for the PMP exam. The bootcamp also prepares students for the exam and offers a free retake if they don’t pass on their first attempt. Both these classes are taught through Noble’s affiliate school, NYIM Training.
NYC Career Centers offers additional project management classes. You may also wish to consider the project management courses available through NYIM Training, which include an intensive Project Management Bootcamp. This course is a great fit for aspiring project managers who want to learn basic through advanced concepts in a relatively short period of time.
Are you looking to upskill your current project management staff or cross-train employees to become project managers? Noble Desktop can provide your company with just the right instruction option for onsite corporate project management training, be it in-person teaching with an expert instructor or remote learning using Zoom or another teleconferencing platform. As a further option, Noble offers vouchers that make it possible for your employees to take Noble’s regular classes. Please contact Noble Desktop with any inquiries you may have. Quotes are available for free.
In the heart of the Midwest’s finance capital, there’s opportunity everywhere. From tech startups in Fulton Market to powerhouse Fortune 500 firms in the Loop, Chicago offers a virtually endless array of ways to level up your skills in tech, business, data, and design. The city thrives on bold ideas, making it the perfect place to grow a career that is not only lucrative but also makes a real impact. With expert instructors with decades of experience, you’ll learn more about the subjects you’re interested in, all while receiving hands-on training. These instructors live and breathe to explore and work within their field, meaning they don’t just teach; they mentor, guide, and connect you to the heart of Chicago’s many successful industries and direct you to the most meaningful path to help you achieve your goals.
Noble Desktop’s partner school, Practical Programming, has state-of-the-art facilities conveniently located in downtown Chicago’s iconic Hayworth Building at 29 E. Madison Street, Chicago, IL, 60602. It’s an easy-to-find location for students from across the city to attend. The campus is modern, equipped with the necessary tech and tools you may need, and provides resources like Wi-Fi, comfortable workstations, and expert instructors and staff ready to help you learn. Getting there is simple, whether you’re commuting from the Loop, River North, or surrounding areas. The school is easily accessible from the CTA trains and buses, with nearby stops for major lines like the Red, Blue, and Brown. If you’re driving, you can park nearby at various parking decks and metered spots within walking distance. The central location means you won’t have to stress about making it to class, and that your training sessions can fit into any schedule with ease.
Project management skills are crucial for helping Chicago professionals lead teams, manage timelines, and deliver results. With this, the instructors at Noble Desktop bring real experience to the classroom, showing students how to apply proven frameworks.
Henry Gonzalez is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 30 years of experience in the federal government, leading engineering, program management, and acquisition initiatives in naval warfare, air traffic management, and homeland security. A retired senior executive, Henry now serves as a part-time instructor in Chicago, where he teaches project and program management, leadership, and strategic planning to professionals of all kinds. He holds the highest level of federal certification one can hold for acquisition program management and systems engineering. In addition, Henry was part of the core team that updated the Project Management Institute’s Standard for Program Management. Henry is also a certified Balanced Scorecard Professional and holds a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University, along with a dual Master of Science in Ocean Engineering and Ocean Systems Management from MIT.
Robert Simon is a highly accomplished financial management professional and educator with more than four decades of federal and private sector experience. As a Financial and Management Curricula Instructor at Graduate School USA since 2007, he teaches courses in financial management, federal travel regulations, and organizational leadership, both virtually and in person. Prior to his teaching career, he held senior roles at the General Services Administration, overseeing a six-state regional budget of approximately $100 million, and at the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Management Service, where he led national training initiatives on electronic banking. Robert’s background spans accounting, budgeting, and program analysis, holding certifications as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager.
Edward (Scott) Dillion is a seasoned financial expert with over three decades of experience in the Department of Defense, where he specialized in a range of financial management areas like budgeting and auditing, as well as performance-based management and cost analysis. He holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Grove City College. After retiring in 2014, Scott pivoted to a second career in education and consulting. He teaches project management and marketing at Graduate School USA and has also taught courses in federal budgeting. Additionally, Scott serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Management Concepts Inc., where he helps develop financial management course materials. He also has a lifetime membership with the American Society of Military Comptrollers, holds a Top Secret security clearance with the Department of Defense, and is a recognized Tier 2 instructor at Graduate School USA for his wealth of experience.