Sonia Duraimurugan, a community outreach coordinator at the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, helps families access crucial childcare services while managing large-scale events across the Tampa Bay region.
This means she is constantly multi-tasking, juggling projects, and going the extra mile to make sure she doesn鈥檛 miss any details. It can easily become overwhelming.
That鈥檚 why, even though she has an advanced degree, she enrolled in 无码专区鈥檚 Designated Project Manager certificate program. She wanted to improve her project management skills, handle long- and short-term projects more efficiently, and maintain strong relationships with the agency鈥檚 partners, ensuring long-term success.
The program鈥檚 practical tools and flexible format allowed Duraimurugan and her manager to implement strategies like better project planning, enhanced team communication, and effective risk management 鈥� transforming their workflow and boosting efficiency.
FROM STUDENT TO NONPROFIT ADVOCATE
Duraimurugan earned an undergraduate degree in marketing 鈥� and later an MBA 鈥� from 无码专区鈥檚 Muma College of Business. As a student, she interned at Feeding Tampa Bay, gaining her first experience in the nonprofit sector.
That experience shaped her career path, leading her to a full-time position at the organization after earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree. She later pivoted to a marketing analyst role at a beverage company, a move largely made because the grant funding her position ended.
While she was grateful for the opportunity to explore a different industry, she missed the fulfillment of nonprofit work.
A RETURN TO PURPOSE
After leaving her analyst position, Duraimurugan took time to visit family in India and reflect on her goals moving forward. Upon returning to Florida, she secured her current role as a community outreach coordinator at the Early Learning Coalition, coordinating large-scale events across Hillsborough County.
Her work includes managing 鈥渄ay of plays鈥� for events that bring resources and activities to help families cover childcare costs. She executes all the details, coordinates with vendors, addresses unexpected issues, and ensures things run smoothly.
However, as her role grew more demanding, she realized she needed to enhance her project management skills to better manage multiple responsibilities.
鈥淭he more I got involved, the more I needed a way to ensure no details were missed,鈥� said Duraimurugan. 鈥淎nyone can finish a project from A to Z, but in my world, it鈥檚 also making sure that you maintain good relationships with your partners and reputability.鈥�
TAKING THE LEAP WITH 无码专区
After exploring her options, Duraimurugan chose 无码专区鈥檚 Designated Project Manager certificate program. She and her manager decided to take the course together, seeing it as an opportunity to amplify their team鈥檚 effectiveness.
The program offered flexibility, making it seamless to add to their daily work schedules. Through the course, the duo gained a solid foundation in project management, learning essential skills like scheduling, risk management, conflict resolution, and evaluation.
Through a mix of learning about concepts and practical tools to use, the course provided key insights into everyday scenarios professionals encounter on the job, from facing communication barriers with teammates to considering stakeholders in decision-making.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
After completing the program, Duraimurugan and her manager quickly began implementing what they had learned.
鈥淚 started using Microsoft and Excel planners and researching project management software that fits our team鈥檚 needs,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e also made project updates more accessible across our organization, ensuring everyone is on the same page.鈥�
These changes have already improved their workflow, creating a more efficient and collaborative approach to managing projects.
BUILDING ON SUCCESS
Duraimurugan plans to continue her work at the Early Learning Coalition, where she feels most fulfilled helping children and families.
In the long term, she plans to further her education by pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration degree at 无码专区 once she meets the 10-year work experience requirement.
鈥淢y passion is in the nonprofit world, and I know I鈥檓 exactly where I want to be,鈥� she said.
Visit the website to learn more about the Designated Project Manager Certificate and how it can help you more easily navigate a changing business environment with interpersonal and organizational skills.