Merck’s Irvine Site project delivery team, comprised of several delivery leads in developmental roles, recognised a need for enhanced project management capabilities. It was identified that ‘formal project management training would strengthen the skills and knowledge base of the team and allow them to apply this in practical terms when conducting day-to-day job.’ Recognising this opportunity to close the skills gap and empower their team, prompted Merck Irvine to seek a focused, practical training solution.

The 20/20 Solution

To address this, Merck’s Irvine Site engaged with us, 20/20 Project Management Training, to deliver our APM Project Management Qualification classroom training. Louise Reid – Process, Projects & Digitalisation Manager at Merck Irvine Site noted, ‘20/20 were extremely flexible in attending our site based in North Ayrshire and assisted by clearly and efficiently conducting this training.’ Our tailored, on-site approach ensured that the training directly aligned with the team’s specific needs and operational challenges.

The training had a transformative impact on the Merck Irvine team, leading to significant improvements in confidence and capability. Some key areas of improvement were:

• Stronger Fundamentals: Team members now have a robust grasp of core project management concepts, allowing them to approach their roles with enhanced structure and clarity.
• Practical Application: One project lead, for example, successfully applied key negotiation techniques learned during training to independently negotiate with suppliers during project planning.
• Standardised Approach: A more cohesive and standardised methodology in project delivery has been established, leading to improved efficiency and effectiveness.

A standout success was the 100% pass rate achieved by all delegates who sat the APM PMQ assessment under the new format - a testament to the training quality and the high engagement of the leaners.