Notes from Austin: AIPM’s Newest Grads Share Their Thoughts

Congratulations are in order for the newest graduates of MCAA’s Advanced Institute for Project Management! Forty exceptional individuals braved the unexpectedly freezing temperatures in Austin, TX, for a week of intensive collaboration and occasional good-natured competition with peers from across the continent.

This unique, contractor-led program is specifically designed for Senior Project Managers, Project Executives, Operations Managers, and those who manage other project managers and multiple big, complex jobs. AIPM is truly a ‘one of a kind’ opportunity, where attendees spend the week with an all-star roster of instructors, including leading claims consultant Paul Stynchcomb, renowned construction attorney Doug Patin, and former ASHRAE President Tim Wentz.

Participants spend this highly interactive program honing their skills through a combination of dialogue-driven lecture and practical exercises, learning from the experts and applying MCAA’s resources – like the Change Orders Primer’s new chapter on BIM-related cost and time impacts – to address real-world problems.

So what did the students have to say about their AIPM experience? To quote a few:

“Fantastic course for anyone working in a mechanical firm who manages [large] projects and oversees other project managers.”

“Amazing team-building event not only in the classroom but having the ability to communicate with other managers on your level and really understand that most of the same issues we have are industry-wide. Also the networking of the group was amazing.”

“I feel like the class covered all aspects that we as managers deal with, but also the class provided insights on the little aspects of a company that we don’t see or deal with daily which can help in our growth as leaders.”

“All of these presentations, discussions, activities are extremely relevant to me at the current time in my current role as Project Executive, as well as where I want to go in this industry. I’m greatly appreciative of each contributor’s time and willingness to organize the program and openly engage with all of us.”

“I loved the experience. There are many takeaways that I wrote down to bring back to our company. It’s extremely valuable to get to meet others from across the country and discuss how similar situations are handled differently across the country and the world. It’s our first time sending someone and I’m going to recommend we send more, not just to AIPM but IPM and Pre-IPM as I can see that those are going to be just as invaluable to people at different levels of the organization.”

As you can see from the participant feedback, AIPM is a great example of how MCAA members are better together, and that bringing together the best and brightest in our industry is of benefit to all involved. We look forward to doing so again in January of 2026!

Registration for the next Advanced Institute for Project Management will open on October 1^st at noon EST. Visit our AIPM webpage to learn more.