Frequently asked questions

How does the apprenticeship program work?

What will apprentices be learning?

As an apprentice, you’ll learn everything from how to work with salespeople to deepen project profitability, to reining in decision-maker expectations, to managing the complete lifecycle of complex digital projects from end to end, as well as the future of PM and how it intersects with operations and strategy. You’ll get to practice on simulated projects while you onboard at your job and you’ll also be picking up real-world projects in the second half of training (or sooner if you’re feeling ready). This is a methodology agnostic program: we teach the foundations of different approaches and methodologies and then the critical thinking skills your project lead needs to know which approach works best with their projects. Need a training overview? Get in touch.

Shorter courses work the same, but course modules are distilled down to focus on different parts of the project lifecycle, the digital workflow, and the people involved.

How does training work?

Teams or individual apprentices will learn in a similar manner. During the year, you’ll meet with your trainer and up to five other apprentices for a three-hour video session each week where you work through high-level concepts and theories. You’ll also set aside a minimum of two hours a week for lab time, so you can work on homework and application exercises with your fellow learners and explore new thoughts, ideas, and resources in our private Slack group as you internalize the theory of digital project management. Your open time during the rest of the week can be spent supporting your team at work. Throughout the course, our trainers will be there each week to coach you as you take on the full complexity of stakeholder-facing projects by answering your questions and challenging you to deepen your real-world learning.

How does support work?

We’ll meet weekly with you and up to six classmates to discuss real-time project problems and challenges during our support period. Get in touch so we can put a custom package together for you.

How much time do I need to spend training each week?

During the course, you will be spending up to a total of up to seven (7) hours a week learning and working through exercises and homework. Up to five (5) of those will be with your trainer over video chat and Slack (aka in class). Work with your org to determine how to spend these additional hours (aka on your own time or as part of your org’s time) as you apply your new skills. You can continue spending two (2) hours a week deepening your learning and receiving trainer coaching once your curriculum learning is over with our coaching add-on (at around the eight-month mark). Employers, we recommend that if you’re signing up an apprentice who is working at full capacity or a whole team of project leads who need training, you work with them to plan how to adjust their capacity so they can allocate time for learning. We find organizations benefit from collaborating around cross-team scheduling or hiring a freelance PM to support the team while its project leaders are learning. The skills your individual team or apprentices are learning will help them adjust real project scope to aid in this transition fairly quickly.

How long is the program? Why?

Change takes time. We’ve designed our programs to give you 3 months to a year of training and support. For change really to stick, you need to commit to internalizing new information at a pace that allows you to absorb it. An apprenticeship with both the theory and support components allows you to explore and grow as a project leader naturally over time so you’ve got the foundational skills you need to be strong and nimble in your role. Unlike a boot camp that spits you out quickly, you’ve got professional support to back you the whole way. You can learn in a safe environment, make mistakes, and get the reinforcement you need to refine and improve your processes. Think of training as a set of water wings and a personal lifeguard.

What format is the training?

The training and support we provide to you in this apprenticeship are completely virtual via video chat, Slack, and digital tools.

What materials do I need for training?

You’ll need high-speed internet, a laptop or computer with keyboard and mouse, a Google account (to access documents, spreadsheets, and other assets), a web camera, headphones, and plenty of snacks to keep you in fine form. In most cases, your organization will provide the equipment you need as a full-time employee. An extra screen is a nice-to-have (to view your high-level project data), but not required. We’ll invite you to various tools you’ll need to use for simulation assignments (included).

Can I work remotely while training?

Louder Than Ten training occurs over video chats and Slack and is completely remote. Just make sure you work out the details with your employer first. In some cases, you may need to coordinate flex hours with work if your time zone falls outside our standard training schedule.

Is there support during training in case I have questions?

There will always be someone there to support you if you have questions. You will have a Community Support person assigned to your class who will follow up with you about your learning and gather program feedback. In most cases, a message to your trainer or support person will give you the answers you need, but if you have deeper questions about the program or need help with account information, please email us at help@louderthanten.com and we’ll work through them together.

What can my project leads do while they are learning to help support our team?

Your apprentice will be able to support you right away by helping with things like note-taking, scheduling, project setup, coordinating meetings, refining written process documentation, supporting client-facing project managers or team leads, identifying process gaps, and demoing new learning and concepts to the team. We find that project leads are returning incredible value in the second portion of the program as they’re able to refine their approach and maintain support from trainers and their apprentice peers. Remember: it takes new PM hires at least 9 months to a year to be fully productive—this program offers a jumpstart for them to have a safe environment to practice.

How will I know my apprentice is ready to pick up projects?

Ask them. You will be watching for your apprentices to take the lead on project planning, to run meetings with decision-makers and teams, to ask for additional responsibilities, and to show initiative with implementing new processes. Go easy on them in the first few months but challenge them as they gain more experience and you’ll be impressed by how quickly they can maneuver down the project path.

As the employer, how do I know what my apprentice is learning?

You’ll have access to all the handouts and resources your apprentice receives. We’ll also check in with you and your apprentice at three scheduled times throughout their training. Recognize that your apprentice may be learning concepts that differ from your current processes. Encourage them to share with the team and you can determine together how you’d like to apply any new or different ideas together. Just like any training, it works best when people are open and collaborative. We’re going to push your apprentice and your org further. We recommend you to set regular check-in times with your project leads-in-training to follow up on their progress and ideas they can bring back to your team.

Is there ongoing support once I complete training?

We offer an alumni program to our graduates to keep the good times rolling. Also, if you’d like an additional six months of more rigorous support, please reach out and we’ll set up a package for you.

Costs

How much is training?

Please see our pricing page for more details. There are training grants available for Canadian and UK registrants.

How much is team or agency support?

If you want to test the waters with a little custom support, we offer tailored packages. Please see our pricing page or get in touch for more details.

How is training billed?

We charge up-front for all training and accept:

• Credit card (under $10,000)
• Wire/Electronic Funds Transfer
• WeTransfer
• Paypal
• Cheque

We can also offer payment plans on a case-by-case basis.

How can I afford to pay an apprentice who’s learning while also paying their salary?

If you’re training folks on your team: they’ll put their newfound skills to use immediately and start increasing project profitability while enriching the relationships and value with stakeholders so you’ll see a return on your investment via project revenue and operational efficiency right away. Great PM skills can shave 30% or more off project overages and they can also create longer-term value out of current projects through scope management, risk analysis, and relationship building. When you consider the average project runs over by 27%, you’re actually making money by investing in your team’s business and management skills. If you’re hiring a new PM who will be apprenticing: The great thing about this apprenticeship model is that PMs put their skills to practice after the first week.

Apprenticeships that develop deep skills such as these can save you up to 50% on replacing salaries, hiring, and onboarding costs as you are investing in your talent—which means they are more likely to stick around and return the value in saved project costs and longer-term stakeholder relationships. There may also be grants and funding available for training in your city as governments look to close the skills gap and integrate tech into the workplace.

Evaluation

How will I evaluate my success?

You’ll be completing regular assignments that rely on your applying your knowledge and critical thinking skills throughout the curriculum to support your own processes and approach. During the apprenticeship and certain tracks of courses, you’ll be creating a project plan and presenting it to the class, and then writing a reflective essay to summarize your own growth and development over the year. You’ll also be tracking metrics and KPIs that help you calibrate throughout the year. During the apprenticeship, we give you quizzes and short answer scenarios that require roleplay regularly. We’ll check in with you each week and have more formal check-ins scheduled throughout the program so we can assess your progress and review any gaps. You’ll also be responsible for self-assessment and reflection along the way.

How can I keep track of my progress?

You’ll have an apprentice dashboard so you can preview all upcoming assignments and handouts. You’ll also be keeping personal KPIs and updating your program goals throughout the program during the apprenticeship.

How often will I be evaluated?

We’ll check in with you and your employer formally three times throughout the program so we can assess your progress and learning gaps. You’ll be doing regular check-ins with your trainer and have a Community Support person you can connect with if you want additional feedback.

Is there an exam?

There won’t be any standardized exams. We’ve done plenty of research and standardized testing is the least effective way to measure your learning. What’s most effective? Formative assessment: checking in with you and your team regularly to see how you’re applying new information and concepts. Down the road we may implement an accredited certification process, but only if it makes sense for our learners and our future goals.

When I’m finished, what certification will I receive?

Each course has its own certification. When you’re done, you’ll walk out with the equivalent experience of a keen mid-level digital project lead who has been working in the industry for at least two to three years. If you started out as a mid-level project lead, you should be able to refine your skills to the expert level. The concepts you’ll cover push you into deeper learning spirals that allow you to react more quickly, apply new information more meaningfully, and build a foundation of skills that will serve you for a lifetime. While you won’t have an accredited certification like a PMP, you will demonstrate your skills and knowledge firsthand within your industry—and comfortably within other industries that are progressively adopting lean project management methods. We believe in practical application over great optics. That said, as an apprentice, you’ll receive a certificate of completion once you successfully complete your training.

How do I earn my certificate?

If you attend 90% of all sessions, complete your assignments, you participate in sponsor-led check-ins, you don’t violate our Code of conduct or Terms and conditions and your account is in good standing, you qualify for a course certificate. We understand that things come up from time to time which might mean unexpected absences. We’ll discuss a plan to support your success if you get sick or experience any other emergencies that impact your participation.

Synthesis & application

Will I get to work on and run real digital projects?

If your whole team is in training or you’re simply refining your PM skills, you may be running real projects throughout your training according to your agreement with your employer. We recommend your employer build time into your schedule for this type of learning. As an apprentice, however, you’ll also be building your practice on simulated projects at first. They’ll feel real, and you’ll go through the steps to set up and manage them, but you’ll have the safety of your training environment and trainer and peer support to try new things. As you increase your confidence, you’ll begin to pick up or add additional real projects that increase in complexity until you’re ultimately able to handle a full project load within your organization.

Cancellation/substitution

My apprentice isn’t the right fit for our organization. What now?

As you’ll be hiring and interviewing your apprentice, your organization is responsible for finding the right fit. Because we offer such comprehensive training, you want to be sure of your investment. If the apprentice is a poor fit or isn’t meeting their requirements, we will handle things on a case-by-case basis. Please email us at help@louderthanten.com or reach out to your Louder Than Ten trainer for more details.

I don’t like the agency or organization I’m paired with. What now?

Refer back to your employment contract to determine how you need to proceed and talk with your employer. We want you as an apprentice to be happy, but we are also entering into a contract directly with the organization employing you and are bound to that agreement. We’ll handle any requests to cancel on a case-by-case basis.

My situation has changed. I want to cancel the program. What now?

Folks can cancel but there are no substitutions or refunds.

I want a new apprentice. Can I sub one out?

Nope, sorry. Because your apprentice is applying learning layer by layer in order, it’s really important that they start from the beginning. The pace is fast and a new apprentice can fall behind. That said, we run classes several times throughout the year so a new apprentice can sign up for the next class if it makes sense. We’ll determine payments for the new apprentice’s additional onboarding time together.