Pragmas Academy introduces a Certificate in Physical Asset Management

The Pragma Academy, which has been in existence for 11 years, is now offering a Certificate in Physical Asset Management (CPAM). This three-year certificate can be used as a roadmap for career development within Physical Asset Management to assist staff to grow into a management role, a first for South Africa.

Says Billy Wilson, Academy Manager of Pragma Africa: “We now offer a total of 42 standalone short courses directly linked to Physical Asset Management, all featured in the framework of the Pragma CPAM. These courses are aimed at improving physical asset management practices throughout South Africa as well as parts of the African continent, irrespective of the organisation’s specific CMMS, EAMS or even their industry.

“CPAM is unique because it is extremely flexible. A client can now roll out any of the 42 CPAM courses or a combination of courses in order to achieve their Asset Management strategy and company strategy.”

Industry is experiencing a massive shortage of competent artisans, planners and engineers. The onus is on the private sector to create internal capacity through training.

Wilson continues: “Some interesting clients have attended our CPAM courses as standalone on-site short courses since the outset. We’ve already had a whopping total of 1440 learner seats since 14th January 2013. The Pragma CPAM is divided into three certificate streams – operational, tactical and strategic. When we implement a full CPAM we start the certificate by presenting each stream with an overview of Physical Asset Management. We also cover PAS 55 and its impact on a company’s asset management strategy.

“We then take the learners deep into the world of asset management with the highly intensive principles of asset management short course followed by change management; converting data to information; technical information management; maintenance planning and scheduling; the development of an asset management scorecard; asset care plan development which includes Pragma’s world class seven-step OMM (Optimum Maintenance Mix) methodology; contract and contractor management; financial management; risk management; organisational development; SHE management; the successful implementation of operator asset care; warehousing, material management and MRO optimisation; 5S, lubrication principles and tool management; life cycle management; project and shutdown management; focused improvement, continuous improvement, root cause analysis and far more.

“We’re also working on the development of a framework for our On Key 5 system training which will follow the same modular business model, with shorter courses over longer periods. All courses are developed in line with PAS 55 principles and, where it makes sense to do so, will be accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) through the South African Asset Management Association (SAAMA).”

The Pragma Academy is an accredited training provider with MERSETA. The Academy works very closely with selected recognised professional bodies and tertiary institutions locally and internationally to ensure that asset management qualifications are launched in the short to medium term.

Training is open to all companies. “The Academy presents a lot of training in support of our services to existing Pragma clients, but also presents courses to companies that aren’t service or system clients but need to improve their physical asset management practices,” says Wilson.

Clients include some top names such as the eThekwini Municipality, Transnet Group, Fresenius Group, Goldfields, Botswana Breweries, Sasol Group, Nampak Group, Debswana, Parmalat, Murray & Roberts, all major Utilities, Rainbow Farms, Minopex, Eskom, Rotek, Nkomati Mine, Tiger Brands, Aveng Group, Bravo Group, BHP Billiton, Sun City Resort, Clover SA, Rand Water, Arcelor Mittal SA, Pioneer Foods, DBSA, Engen, Exxaro, Aspen Pharmaceuticals, Mercedes, IDC, Powertech Transformers, Umgeni Water, De Beers, Paarl Media, MTN, Assmang, ERWAT, Polyoak Packaging and I&J.

For more information visit www.pragmaworld.net or contact Billy Wilson at billy.wilson@pragmaworld.net or on 011 848 6940.