Every project manager in the automotive industry knows that managing projects can be both challenging and rewarding. From keeping up with ever-changing regulations to ensuring that all deadlines are met on time, there's no shortage of tasks to keep you busy. But while it can sometimes feel overwhelming, we are here to remind you that automotive project management is far from boring!
From developing innovative strategies for streamlining processes to finding creative solutions for complex problems, every day brings something new and exciting. And when things don't go according to plan? That's where your problem-solving skills come into play – because, let’s face it: if you're not prepared for the unexpected, then you'll quickly find yourself spinning your wheels!
Luckily, at the end of each successful project comes an undeniable sense of accomplishment – which makes all those long hours worth it. So next time someone tells you “project management isn't glamorous," just smile and tell them how much fun (and adventure!) there is in Automotive Project Management!
As a Project Manager in the automotive Industry, you can confidently say that there is no other job quite like it. From managing complex projects to dealing with challenging stakeholders, automotive project management requires an array of skills and knowledge to get the job done right. It’s a fast-paced environment that demands innovation and creativity from its team members – but at the same time offers exciting opportunities for growth and development.
Uwe Strohbeck PhD and Dragana Đorđević Čegar PhD, are instructors at NIT Academy in the project management field, and they both agree that there are more than one important skills for this job. Uwe says that is working with people.
“A project manager must have the skills to motivate team members, resolve conflicts and make decisions, even though this may have a negative impact on the project team. Furthermore, a project manager is expected to know the tools he uses for project planning and project monitoring as well as possible”, he says, and adds:
“Extensive requirements have to be met, particularly in the automotive industry. Therefore, as far as I know, a precise and well-organized working style is an important ingredient for successful project management”.
Dragana follows up on those words and adds several more.
“The most important skill for any kind of manager in automotive is to be professional when it comes to standards like ASPICE and Functional Safety. Also it is important that the manager has structuring skills since automotive is highly strict and requires passing assessments”.
Dragana said that her quality of a very strict and organized person led her to the PM world.
“I like to follow rules and regulations, on the other hand I am a computer engineering scientist and I like challenges. Therefore, automotive quality and project management sounded like a good fit for me. I worked on the first auto project as a software engineer 10 years ago, and I realized that setting the system for the project is my passion”, Dragana said.
The future of automotive project management looks bright, as manufacturers continue to invest heavily in research & development (R&D) initiatives related to autonomous vehicles, electric cars, connected car technologies etc., all of which require expertly managed projects for successful implementation. As such demand increases, so will career opportunities within this field. Companies are already seeking out experienced professionals who have expertise in these areas or those willing to learn quickly on their feet!
Uwe and Dragana said that the Automotive Project Manager program at NIT Academy is different from others because it is didactically based on four building blocks.
“In addition to classic lecture units, we have practice units for practical experience, asynchronous units for self-study and a gamification part in the form of an online project game. All types of study profiles of the participants are addressed. This course is designed to enrich engineers who want to immerse themselves in the business of a project manager without prior knowledge and experience”.
It's great news that we now have a program that includes all PM courses in one bundle so you can officially say that your job title is Automotive project manager after completion.
What makes automotive project management even more attractive is its ability to open up doors into various industries beyond just cars: aerospace engineering companies often look towards experienced PMs when developing new aircraft components; software developers seek PMs when launching digital products; construction companies need PMs to help during large-scale building developments…the list goes on! This means you could potentially find yourself working on anything from self-driving trucks to creating virtual reality experiences - how cool is that?
With plenty of potential roles available across multiple sectors, there has never been a better time than now for aspiring Project Managers looking at entering this dynamic industry - so why not give it a try today?
