Public sector managers face specific challenges that are different from those working in the for-profit arena. To address these challenges, UNC Charlotte’s Master of Public Administration Program, in partnership with the University’s Continuing Education Office, are launching the MPA Public Management Academy Professional Development Certificate program in spring 2017.
“There are certainly generic management skills relevant to any setting, but there are fundamental differences between the private and public sectors. Government and nonprofit managers must appreciate these differences to be effective. They deal with divided but shared power, complex performance measures that can be hard to quantify and communicate and multiple sources of responsibility and accountability,” said Tom Barth, director of the University’s MPA program. He and Sam Abt-Bumgarner, a program director in Continuing Education, conceived and developed this new noncredit certificate program.
Sessions for this newly designed professional development program will take place on three Fridays: March 24, April 28 and May 19. Registration for the complete series is $750.
Barth has enlisted UNC Charlotte faculty and seasoned professionals working in the field to teach each day-long session. Topics will include “Leading and Managing in a Government and Nonprofit Context,” “Setting Goals and Achieving Outcomes” and “The Power of Data for Public Managers.”
“Supervisors and high-potential staff working in government and nonprofit are ideal candidates for this program,” said Abt-Bumgarner, “Each session will examine the special circumstances that public employees face every day. I’m confident the participants will leave each class session with new ideas on how to approach their jobs.”
Curt Walton, interim associate provost for Metropolitan Studies and Extended Academic Programs at UNC Charlotte and a former city manager for the Queen City, stated, “Unlike the private sector, government and nonprofit managers operate in a fishbowl and public trust is essential. Government and nonprofit managers need to know how to handle the inevitable scrutiny. This academy will be a great resource.”
Public administration and management positions require both analytical and people skills, Barth stated. “Participants will learn the best of both applied theory and practice. Plus, the academy is an opportunity for individuals who want to build a new network of fellow professionals from across the region who can be ongoing sources of support and new ideas.”
Click here to learn more about the MPA Public Management Academy. Find out more information about UNC Charlotte’s MPA program on the web.