Why Project Management Is a Fundamental & Essential Skill – A Future-Ready Edge for Every Student

November 08, 2026 (Sunday)  •  10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

Location/Format: Virtual Session (Online Webinar)

Hosted by: PMI Lakeshore Ontario Chapter (PMILOC), Academic Outreach & Social Impact Portfolio

Target Audience: Secondary School Students (Grades 9–12), Parents/Guardians, Teachers, and Guidance counsellors.

Event Overview

Big dreams need smart plans.

From school projects and sports teams to clubs, volunteering, part-time jobs, and university applications, students are constantly juggling deadlines, teamwork, and competing priorities. The skill that ties it all together is Project Management.

In this dynamic, youth-focused session, students and parents will discover how project management is more than a business buzzword. It is a fundamental life skill that helps young people:

• Turn big goals (“get into a top program,” “start a club,” “launch a project”) into clear, doable steps.
• Keep track of time, tasks, and responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed.
• Communicate better in group projects, teams, and leadership roles.
• Spot risks early (like time crunches and conflicts) and plan around them.
• Reflect on what worked, what did not, and how to improve next time.

Using simple tools—checklists, timelines, and basic risk lists—our speakers will show how students can manage schoolwork and activities with less stress and more control, while parents learn concrete ways to support them.

You will see why project management belongs beside reading, writing, and math as a core skill for success in school, post-secondary, and future careers.

Powered by PMI – The Global Leader in Project Management

This event is brought to you by the Project Management Institute (PMI)'s local Chapter: PMI Lakeshore Ontario Chapter (PMILOC), the world’s leading professional association for people who manage projects.

PMI:

• Sets global standards for how projects are planned and delivered.
• Provides internationally recognized certifications for students and professionals.
• Supports millions of project managers working in technology, healthcare, engineering, finance, government, and more.

Through chapters like PMI Lakeshore Ontario (PMILOC), PMI is helping today’s students build tomorrow’s in-demand skills—starting in secondary school.

Real Student Success Stories – Learner Impact

Project management and PMI’s Project Management Ready™ certification are already helping students stand out.
From the PMILOC community

Learn more about PMI Project Management Ready™ here:

https://pmiloc.org/Project_Management_Ready_Certification

In this session, we will connect the dots between the core project management habits that helped Levent and Isha succeed and the everyday skills today’s secondary students can start using right away.

What You Will Learn

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand what a “project” is in everyday school and life situations.
• Break a large assignment or goal into smaller, manageable tasks and milestones.
• Use simple tools (task lists, schedules, basic risk logs) to plan and track progress.
• Turn messy notes from class or meetings into clear action items.
• Analyze “what went wrong” in a project and develop a plan to improve.
• Recognize how project management skills connect directly to co-op, university, and career opportunities.
• See where PMI’s Project Management Ready™ certification can fit into a student’s learning journey.

About Our Speakers

Krishna Kishore Valluru

Krishna is an experienced project management professional who has led complex initiatives across multiple domains and industries. Drawing on PMI’s global standards and best practices, he specializes in turning “big-company” project ideas into simple strategies that students can actually use—for schoolwork, personal goals, and early leadership opportunities. Krishna is passionate about mentoring youth and showing them how project management can become a secret advantage in academics and beyond.

Krishna is also a volunteer with PMILOC Academic Outreach & Social Impact Portfolio.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittu0812/

Naveen Krishnamoorthy

Naveen is a veteran AI leader focused on helping people and organizations use artificial intelligence to work smarter, faster, and with better quality outcomes. Through his personal brand, LeadIT Coach, he shares practical insights on AI, leadership, and technology to help professionals build future-ready skills. His work centers on showing how AI can be applied in real-world settings, including project management, where it can improve efficiency, precision, and delivery outcomes.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mknaveen/ | www.leaditcoach.com

Who Should Attend

This session is ideal for:

• Secondary school students who want to:
  • Stay ahead of homework, projects, and activities.
  • Build skills that stand out on resumes, portfolios, and applications.
  • Reduce stress by having a clear plan for their work and goals.
• Parents and guardians who want to:
  • Better understand the pressures students face today.
  • Learn practical ways to coach teens on planning, prioritizing, and following through.
  • Explore how PMI-aligned project skills and certifications can support long-term success.

Teachers, guidance counselors, and youth leaders are also welcome.

Why This Session Matters

Across every industry, organizations are looking for people who can plan, organize, collaborate, and deliver results. Those are project management skills—and students can start developing them right now.

With support from PMILOC, this session will:

• Equip students with transferable skills they can apply to any subject, sport, or club.
• Help families recognize project management as a core life competency, not just a job title.
• Inspire the next generation of leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers—students who can confidently move from ideas to outcomes.

Give your student a future-ready advantage. Help them start thinking—and succeeding—like a project manager.