PRINCE2 training course in Damascus, Syria

It’s a week now since I returned from my first trip to Syria to deliver PRINCE2 training to managers from a mobile phone company in Damascus.

I must say that I was taken aback by the overwhelming friendliness of the people I met on my trip. Everyone I met seemed to go out of their way to help me.

In addition to delivering the PRINCE2 course, I did get a chance with my wife to visit some wonderful historical sites. Palmyra was one such place - an oasis town in the desert. Palmyra became a rich city during Roman times because it was on the Silk Road and used to levy taxes on the caravans trekking across the desert. The remains of this wealth are still visible in the desert today. A one kilometre long avenue of colonnades rises up from the desert floor and is visible from miles around. This was the main avenue in the city.

It is interesting to consider what the Romans would have made of PRINCE2 when planning and managing their projects to build wonderful cities such as Palmyra. Of course, one thing the Romans did not have to consider when planning and managing projects was labour costs. Since the Romans employed slaves to construct much of their cities, the cost of labour was not of importance to them. I would be interested to know however whether they still managed to complete their projects on time!

I do hope to get another chance to go back to Syria soon to deliver more PRINCE2 training in future, or indeed to deliver PRINCE2 courses in other countries in the Middle East.

Tags: middle east, overseas training, PRINCE2 course