Hear from a Simplilearner: Subhankar Sharma, Project Management Rockstar

What Inspired You to Get a Professional Certification in Project Management?

I was working on a project in Thailand for a Singaporean Company. The client was 'PTT Public Company Limited.' They are the largest Oil & Gas Company in Thailand.

I was a Project Leader and also an SAP PM & CS Consultant. I know several SAP modules so my company would come to me for most Client Project requirements. And every time this happened, I would be asked to modify my resume to meet client requirements.

Somewhere down the line, I felt I was losing my professional identity. My expertise in project management seemed to be more valuable to the company and clients than my SAP knowhow. Given my unique, multi-dimensional skill-set, I wanted to forge a new identity as a generalist project manager. I wanted to carve out an identity for myself, building a brand centered on my industry experience, showcasing to potential employers what I excelled at.

I realized that professional certification could greatly accelerate this process. That was when I decided to work toward the PMP® and PgMP® credentials.

My manager at the time was supportive of my decision, advising me of the best course of action to achieve my objectives.

Why Did You Choose Simplilearn?

When I was an SAP Functional Consultant, I was good at my job and enjoyed it, but I used to work individually. There was always competition to prove myself as the best person in the unit and please somebody (Project Managers, Functional Managers). But I never really learned to work as part of a team; I didn't know how to manage a team or coordinate between team members to deliver project goals.

I discussed my predicament with peers, many of whom recommended I try Simplilearn’s Project Management training. Simplilearn’s emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning with community integration seemed perfect for my needs.

It did not disappoint.

The certification training course allowed me to practice working in a team. By the end of the training, I was functioning as a collaborative team member. It has also helped me acquire the skills I need as I work toward my ultimate career goal of becoming a Project Director.

What Made You Decide to Take the PMI-PgMP® Certification?

I believe in a methodological approach to project management. As I began to take on multiple projects, I needed formal training in managing and executing multi-project portfolios and program management. PMI-PgMP® seemed a great fit for my needs. I also knew that I could apply the skills I learned in the course to work right away because PMI® builds its course guidelines after researching industry best practices.

How Was Your Experience With Us?

I had a wonderful experience with Simplilearn because I didn’t need to take holidays or postpone any pre-scheduled meetings for the training program. I was able to learn at my schedule and pace. I could also go back and forth on certain topics that I wanted to know more about. The faculty was also excellent, and all of the instructors had extensive experience in the Project Management Industry.

I also received active support from Simplilearn whenever I needed documents or reference material during the course. I now have an obvious idea what Program Management is and how I can apply it to my professional life. The course was well-structured, with excellent audio and video quality. Overall, I had a great time.

What Challenges Have You Got Your Sights Set on Next?

After finishing the training program, I received the opportunity to work in Business Development along with Program Management. The work has been challenging and rewarding. I now lead a unit at Unilever that is responsible for bringing new clients and businesses into the fold, and I use what I learned in my PgMP® course every day.

Tell Us How You Successfully Achieved a Significant Milestone in Your Career.

While working with Unilever (Europe) as a 'Senior SAP Landscape Program Manager,’ most of the project development was done from India. I used the skills I learned from my PgMP® certification program to bridge the gap between India and Europe. There were lots of problems getting all stakeholders on the same page, but I successfully managed that challenge by implementing a new ‘Convergence Program' using my Program Management skills. I implemented the new development plan worldwide and gained the acceptance of global stakeholders easily. Once that was done, they trusted me on all future deployments. I also created strategies and governance techniques for continuing this newly-developed processes and achieved cost savings of over 900K Euros in one year. 

PMP®, PgMP® and PMI® are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.