UT Austin Relationship with Texas Army National Guard Opens Doors for Soldiers

Initial Program is Expanding to Include Broader Offerings

Soldiers in Central Texas are lining up to learn project management skills to enhance their military service and civilian careers thanks to a budding partnership between UT and the Texas Army National Guard.

The Camp Mabry Project Management Certificate Program has now grown beyond the Austin base. Launched in 2020, the in-person training program has expanded to additional Texas installations with more topics now available, including Human Resource Management, Personal Trainer and CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601).

"From the start we have had waiting lists to get into these classes," said Mary Vrbanac, Education Services Specialist at Camp Mabry, who oversaw the statewide expansion. "We are proud of the opportunity to grow with the University of Texas and expand the program."

The Extended Campus Custom Training (ECCT) team has taught project management programs to hundreds of learners and revised the traditionally corporate-focused curriculum of this 60-hour course to be relevant to a military career. With expertise in customizing training plus experience working with military programs focused on active-duty service members, reservists and veterans, UT was the perfect partner to streamline the development of the program and navigate administrative hurdles.

"UT offered exactly what the soldiers needed and the icing on the cake was that UT was competitive in providing the kind of package that our soldiers needed to be successful," Vrbanac said. "It was a no brainer."

Students gain:

• Knowledge of how to use a proven framework for project management
• Educational hours that meet the criteria to sit for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification exam
• UT-branded certificates
• Confidence to lead projects both within the military and in their civilian lives