Meet the Trainer: Bob Mahler

Bob Mahler is the newest star IT trainer on the CBT Nuggets team. He found his passion for project management early in his career after watching a project manager help set up a cellular network in Nashville and West Virginia. That experience sparked a lifelong interest in the value that good project management brings to any environment.

He’s developed and delivered training on foundational project management skills and is now focused on helping CBT Nuggets’ learners apply the PMBOK in practical, real-world scenarios. When he’s not creating training content for CBT Nuggets, you’ll likely find him fishing for bass and trout near his home in Tennessee.

Let’s get to know more about Bob Mahler!

Can you describe some of the courses or topics you’ve been working on recently? 

I recently finished an Introduction to Project Management series of 7 skills, and I’m about to tackle a 30–35 skill course on practical uses of the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge).

Are there any tools or features you are particularly excited about teaching?

There’s a fun tool called MindView by Matchware, which is great for creating Work Breakdown Structures and mind maps in general. It’s fun for almost any educational project.

What’s something unique or surprising about your journey into IT that others might not know? 

I pursued a career in project management because I like the order of things, and it creates a more harmonious proactive workflow. But, I was an accidental project manager in my early career. I became interested by watching a PM help stand up the cellular network in Nashville and West Virginia. The more you understand about project management, the more you want to learn—like I did!

What motivated you to become a trainer? 

I enjoy helping expedite the time it takes learners to move from theory to implementation of any new idea. The best part about being a trainer is providing practical information that learners can implement right away to bring greater value on their projects and in their careers.

I'm passionate about IT training because…the technology is always transforming, so there’s always a need to teach others and no end of things to learn.

How has your approach to creating training evolved over the years? 

Every learner is a little different, so it’s important to have a broad range of teaching styles to accommodate them. No one size fits all.

What do you hope your learners take away from your courses beyond just technical knowledge?

That training can be fun, goofy, and quirky without feeling stuffy with canned responses. The more relatable the instructor, the better the training will turn out.

What's something learners should know about you? I try to keep learning very straightforward and to the point in a no-nonsense way.

Random Fact: I once jumped from a plane at 18,000 feet at 2 AM.

When I'm not making CBT Nuggets videos, you'll find me… Fishing, if possible, locally for bass and trout.

Start Training with Bob Mahler

• Project Estimator Best Practices

• Introduction to Project Management 

Good project management turns complexity into clarity. Bob’s training helps you build that skill, not just to pass a cert, but to make a real impact on the work you do every day.

Explore Bob’s CBT Nuggets courses to get clear, practical project management training you can apply immediately.