July 30, 2024

Ferris State’s Project Management degree, certificate programs are growing future leaders to meet regional need to boost operational success

Ensuring businesses have the right people in place is critical to successfully managing projects, and Ferris State University is growing future leaders with strong management skills for high-responsibility, high-reward career paths.

Associate Professor Steve Schuiling, Ferris State’s Project Management program coordinator, said the curriculum caters to businesses seeking qualified graduates with quality project management development.

Schuiling said employers seek project managers who can deliver projects on time and on budget.

“Ferris is the only Project Management degree program in this region. We are proud to offer our students and industries that opportunity,” he said. “It separates us from schools that only have certificate programs.”

Schuiling said Ferris State’s graduate and undergraduate certificate in Project Management has been offered for more than 10 years and include working students and students who augment their current degree with expertise in scheduling, risk and quality management.

A U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report said project management specialists will see a six percent growth in jobs by 2032, which exceeds averages for all occupations. AARP said these professionals can expect average hourly wages of over $47.

Schuiling said interest is strong in project management students. He added that Ferris State has approximately 50 students for this training, which are offered face-to-face and online.

The students are making an impact.

“We have students participating in regional competitions. That puts us in a strong light,” Schuiling said. “Companies are clamoring for interns, and they can expect to hire in at $50,000 to $60,000 as entry-level employees with great upward mobility. They are ready to contribute after the degree and certificate programs across a broad spectrum of business and industry.”

Becca Barkley, a native of Sturgis, earned her Project Management Bachelor of Science degree in 2023. She previously received a Ferris State Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice.

Barkley is a certified associate in project management and is actively involved in construction projects with Miller-Davis, a Kalamazoo-based contracting and management firm founded in 1909.

“We have projects all over Michigan, at Michigan State University, Western Michigan, area school districts and recently an aircraft rescue and firefighting facility at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids,” Barkley said. “I completed a one-year internship and have been a project engineer for over a year.”

Barkley said the Project Management curriculum’s perspectives and preparation for her on-the-job experiences were excellent.

“These projects also have provided many learning opportunities, through talking to administrators and contractors, where any experience can present changes that call for quick decisions,” Becca said. “I think my job fits with the learning I gained at Ferris, as my skills stand up while I grow in familiarity with the language of the construction industry. Each project allows me to increase my effectiveness in the field.”

Barkley said being on the project staff with a heritage company like Miller-Davis is rewarding and exciting work. In retrospect, she hopes other Project Management students recognize the value of learning from the field.

“Multiple internships will help tell students what various companies might present them. I have been lucky to be with Miller-Davis. They have a great foundation, and I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow,” Barkley said. “There is still project management service ahead of me here and I really hope to have that experience as I grow and shape my career.”

Schuiling said Barkley showed her abilities in the classroom and in regional competitions, as Becca received a College of Business Student Excellence Award in 2023.

“We are so proud of the reach and the growth of our program, which contributes to the success of our students,” Schuiling said. “We look forward to responding to industry demands. Our students are ready to contribute and excel.”