The Ministry of Construction (MoC), Myanmar is the first organization to utilize the Hybrid Professional Development Program (HPDP), a program developed in AIT Consulting that aims to provide wider access to high quality professional programs through a combination of distance and traditional approaches. Through the HPDP’s online component, courses are offered online simulating a similar learning experience with the courses delivered inside a classroom.

 

MoC is responsible for the country’s construction and maintenance of public infrastructure, including roads and bridges. The ministry also oversees the initiative to professionalize engineers and bring the country’s expertise at par with international peers.

 

The HPDP is divided into six key phases, including: written pre-evaluation, registration for online course, delivery of the online course, hands on training, on-the-job training, and online evaluation. The onset of the online component on the topic of tall buildings was on 9 September while the second program on the topic of bridges commenced on 16 September 2013.

 

On 4-8 November 2013, Mr. Thaung Htut Aung, Structural Engineering Unit Coordinator, AITC conducted onsite classroom trainings in Myanmar on the structural design of tall buildings for 26 participants. The final evaluation for the participants enrolled in the course on the design of tall buildings was performed shortly after.

 

In December 2013, Dr. Songkiat Matuyont, Engineering Advisor, CMJ Joint Venture Co., Ltd., Thailand, and Mr. Keerati Tunthasuwattana, Senior Manager, Asian Center for Engineering Computations and Software (ACECOMS) also delivered on-site sessions on the design of bridges. Selected participants from the two HPDP programs will participate in on-the-job training sessions in Bangkok, Thailand in January, 2014.

 

These two HPDP programs were the result of an agreement between AIT and MoC which was followed through by the team from AIT Consulting led by Dr. Naveed Anwar, Executive Director and Mr. Thaung Htut Aung.