Having information and communications technology (ICT) skills are not only beneficial to your colleagues in the IT department at your organisation. According to The Balance Careers, ICT skills refer to one’s ability to converse with people through various technologies such as email, spreadsheets, word processing, presentation software and more – which is valuable to any organisation across micro and macro economic spheres. These skills have become an almost essential requirement when seeking employment in our society.

People who can keep the digital business running—and thriving—during economic downturns or pandemics that make in-person business impossible or less efficient are going to be on the must-hire list. And, basically, ALL companies are now digitally based in some way, so the opportunities to put digital skills to work are countless.
[Source: Forbes – ‘8 Job Skills to Succeed in a Post Coronavirus World’]

One field in which ICT skills are particularly valuable is project management – especially when these two skill sets are used in conjunction. Liquid Planner overviews a variety of scenarios in modern business where this combination is highly beneficial. Here are 5 of them:

Enhanced employee collaboration and productivity

Digital communication between staff members can be time-consuming. According to Carleton University, employees spend 11.7 hours at work and 5.3 hours at home reading and sending emails. Another survey shows that they spend 4.1 hours checking work-related emails daily. Faster internal communication technologies can ensure an uninterrupted flow of information.

Improved management of remote employees

2020 has undoubtedly resulted in most of us exploring work-from-home options and possibilities. To boost productivity in this regard and improve your remote team’s morale, you can introduce effective multi-channel communication, such as Slack, MS Teams and Google Meet.

More secure data facilities

The more convenient technology makes things for us, the more likely it is for cyber crime to occur. The relevant ICT skills can help you manage your project more securely utilising risk assessments, implementing security policies or even maintaining backups of sensitive or important information.

Convenient project tracking 

Using project management tools and software, you can easily track your tasks, projects, and employees. Dashboards are simple, allowing you to visualise your most relevant project data. There are also many automated cloud tools that can track employee progress, allowing you to focus on finding opportunities for business growth.

Simplified client reporting

Clients will always want to know how effectively you are meeting their expectations. However, tracking the progress of each project across multiple tools requires lots of dedication and time investment. Reporting software that integrates with most tools your team already uses can provide your team with more granular data analytics and help you create more relevant client reports.

While ICT skills and project management are a powerful combination in all aspects of business management, your degree will need to help you grow each of these skills. Stellenbosch Business School’s MBA with specialist stream in Project Management (MBA PM) addresses the growing need for professionals who are proficient in both project management fundamentals and key business disciplines in which ICT skills are valuable – such as strategy, finance, operations management and marketing.

Undoubtedly, studying project management will serve you well if your focus is specifically on managing projects. However, Stellenbosch Business School’s specialised MBA PM will give you an overall perspective and insights into how your business operates in this regard.

An MBA, on the other hand, is focused on developing a well-rounded view of how a business functions. Unlike a master’s in project management—which concentrates on the functions of projects specifically—an MBA is designed to give students the technical, managerial, and leadership skills needed for careers across a variety of business fields.
[Source: Northeastern University – Master’s in Project Management or an MBA: what’s the difference?]

If you are interested in cultivating your ICT abilities and project management skills through a triple-accredited MBA programme, apply for Stellenbosch Business School’s MBA PM today.