Robert Haluska, MPM, PMP, MCP, MCT, MCDST
Senior Technical Trainer, Directions Training
Teaching focus: Information Technology, Project Management

Where I come from

With my bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems from DeVry, I worked as a network support and operations technician at Aon Corporation, Northern Trust Bank, and Rush Medical Center. These positions, together with my Master of Project Management degree from Keller Graduate School of Management, prepared me very well for my subsequent managerial and director-level role at two dot-coms.

I was Director of Technical Operations at iExplore, the #1 ranked web site for adventure and experiential travel, which now has over 1,000,000 visitors per month. It is Google's "authority site" in the adventure travel category. From there I went to ChoiceParts, a dealer automotive parts trading solution that did not survive its competition with the Ford Motor Co. In both positions, I supported the back-office computers and web site.

Learning from many angles

Keller was my bridge from operations to corporate training. My current position uses the skills I have honed teaching at Keller for the last eight years. As a Senior Technical Trainer at Directions Training, a leading provider of quality training in technology and business skills, I practice what I preach. They are tasking me to develop and deliver training in the project management area.

I am now pursuing my doctorate, an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology at Northern Illinois University. I'm learning about learning and it's very exciting. In addition to these degrees, I have my Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute and have also earned three Microsoft certifications.

Bright outlook for project managers-tech skills alone not sufficient

The state of the economy requires that people do more with less. Knowledge and technical skills are necessary, but not sufficient. Project management skills are essential to achieving that objective, especially in the IT world where there are so many projects clamoring to be done, and they are all important.

The demand to do more with less will accelerate as boomers start retiring from the workforce. The tacit knowledge that is in their heads will have to be transferred to younger workers and utilized to move the company forward much more quickly. For the last ten years or so we moved at one pace, and now we are moving at a 50% quicker pace.

Communicating at the right level

My teaching is concentrated in three areas - the strategic management of technology, network operations, and systems development. I am able to transfer knowledge to students at the appropriate level for each area - the management, technology, and process level.

In today's career world, if you can't write and present well, you will not go far. You may have five minutes or less in front of executives to present next year's technology projects and the business case for them. Consequently, I require a paper and a presentation in every class

A geek with personality and business acumen

I describe myself as a geek with personality and business acumen. I love technology and I love teaching. The fun I have in the classroom reminds me of my experience at iExplore and ChoiceParts. What made the dot-com experience a peak moment was the opportunity to work with very talented people who enjoyed what they did. Unlike much of corporate life which is spent sitting in many meetings, we had stand-up meetings in the hall where we discussed the issue, solved it quickly, and moved forward. We had lots of latitude to experiment, and we were able to do it and do it well. We worked a lot of hours, but it didn't feel like work.

Does it work?

Students watch for my courses and ask for me because they like the way I bring in my experiences and knowledge and combine it with theirs. I continually poll students on how they have used material previously discussed to see if in "real life" the solution worked. And if not, why not? In many cases, they have applied what they've learned with great success. I get excited emails from students at work, describing their success with some technique we had discussed the night before.

Situational learning is very important. If you give the same problem or issue to two or three groups within a class, they come out with different solutions. This exercise allows them to put themselves into a typical work situation without worrying about making a mistake or the wrong decision in front of their boss. Classes are good for that; everybody can make mistakes, learn from them, and go forward with the correct knowledge.

Why Keller?

Keller really cares about their students, both while they are at Keller and after they graduate. They want to know what students are experiencing today and improve on it to benefit students tomorrow. The education is delivered by people who do what they teach. Both the courses and course evaluations are continuously reviewed not only by the faculty, but also by the center dean and curriculum specialists. This has resulted in a very solid program which is surprisingly affordable.

I have not had the opportunity to hire Keller graduates, but I know a lot of people who have, and they are very pleased. A Keller master's degree is very well respected degree in my world of work.