APPEL Knowledge Services provides NASA’s technical workforce with a broad range of training courses and career development programs to build their skills and competencies. These courses and programs prepare program managers, project managers, and systems engineers with the skills and insights they need to advance NASA’s portfolio of ambitious missions. 

APPEL Courses

NASA’s Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) delivers courses to thousands of participants each year across all NASA centers, serving as a cornerstone of the agency’s commitment to technical workforce development. These courses offer hands-on, experiential training that equips early-to-senior career professionals with the practical knowledge and leadership skills needed to succeed in NASA’s complex, high-stakes missions. By fostering technical excellence and professional growth, APPEL courses help ensure a steady stream of project managers, system engineers, and technical experts who are prepared to tackle the agency’s most critical challenges and drive innovation across the aerospace community. 

Systems Engineering Leadership Program (SELP) 

The Systems Engineering Leadership Program (SELP), led by APPEL Knowledge Services, is a comprehensive development initiative designed to cultivate NASA’s future technical leaders by combining hands-on systems engineering experience with advanced leadership training. SELP gives participants an assignment on a program or project at a different NASA center, helping them develop a broad, agency-wide perspective, and providing them with exposure to the full engineering life cycle, deepening core systems engineering competencies. The program emphasizes technical excellence and innovation by connecting participants with leading systems engineering organizations across government and industry. In addition to technical growth, SELP strengthens leadership capabilities through coaching, mentoring, benchmarking, and immersive training. By fostering cross-center collaboration and offering insight into diverse approaches to engineering challenges, SELP helps build a more connected, agile, and forward-thinking NASA workforce. 

PM Success Lab 

The APPEL Knowledge Services Project Management Success Lab is a comprehensive six-month program designed for mid-career project managers to sharpen their skills and elevate their impact on complex NASA missions. Through a series of one-week sessions held at various NASA centers, participants dive into focused topics such as risk management, budget, stakeholder communication, and technical integration. Each session blends targeted APPEL courses, personalized mentoring, and benchmarking opportunities with seasoned NASA project managers. This hands-on, experience-rich format allows participants to immediately apply what they learn, strengthening both individual capabilities and project outcomes. 

PM Bridges Mentoring Program

The APPEL Knowledge Services Project Management Bridges Mentoring Program strengthens project management excellence across NASA by fostering meaningful mentor-mentee relationships. Aimed at emerging and mid-career program and project managers, the program provides structured guidance and development opportunities aligned with NASA’s core project management competencies. Through regular, goal-driven interactions, participants gain practical insights, expand their professional networks, and build confidence in navigating complex program challenges. In addition to advancing technical and leadership skills, the program promotes knowledge sharing, cross-center collaboration, and personal growth, ultimately supporting both individual career advancement and mission success at NASA. 

International Project Management Course

APPEL’s International Project Management course brings together members of the NASA technical workforce and representatives from NASA’s international space agency partners to discuss the unique challenges of international aerospace collaboration, such as conflict resolution, communication, and risk management. Through a combination of presentations, case studies, interactive exercises, and group projects, participants gain valuable insights into the nuances of managing projects that include collaboration with space agencies from other countries.