MILL 2140 Project Management Essentials

Fundamentals of planning, scheduling, and managing technical projects within budget constraints.

About this course

This course introduces the core principles of managing technical projects, with a focus on the skilled trades and applied engineering environments. You will learn how to plan, schedule, and execute projects while staying within budget and meeting safety standards. The course covers the project lifecycle from initiation to closure, emphasizing practical tools that you can use in your future career.

You will work through case studies relevant to the electrical, mechanical, and construction trades. Topics include scope definition, resource allocation, risk identification, and communication strategies. By the end of the term, you will have produced a complete project plan for a hypothetical technical project.

Who takes this course

MILL 2140 is an elective course open to students in the School of Skilled Trades & Transportation. It is particularly useful for students in the Welding & Fabrication Technician and Electrical Techniques programs who want to develop management skills alongside their technical training. The course is also available to students in other schools who wish to learn project management in a technical context.

Credits: 3 · Hours: 45

Prerequisites

None

Learning outcomes

• Define the phases of a technical project lifecycle and identify key deliverables for each stage.
• Develop a basic project scope statement and work breakdown structure for a trades or engineering project.
• Create a project schedule using standard tools and identify the critical path.
• Estimate project costs and create a simple budget including contingency reserves.
• Communicate project status effectively to stakeholders and team members.

Evaluation