Whether you’re looking at starting out in a career in project management or are already in the field and looking to get a competitive edge, pursuing further education in project management certification is one of the best ways to enhance your skillset and knowledge.
As the project management field has grown over recent years to become an ever-more specialized discipline with excellent tools at the PMs disposal, having a deep understanding of methodologies and best practice has become a prerequisite for succeeding in the role. Fortunately, a lot of courses have sprung up, providing project management certification in a wide variety of subjects.
Here we will have a look at the best courses to help you get ahead in your career, so you don’t have to be wondering what’s PMP certification or whether it makes sense to pursue a career as a PRINCE2 practitioner.
- PMP: Project Management Professional
The Project Management Institute is the oldest and most well-recognized international PM organization and they provide Project Management Professional certification. Wondering what PMP certification is all about? Well, it signifies that you have completed either 4,500 hours of leading and directing projects (or 7,500 without a degree) and have passed a comprehensive test assessing your knowledge on a broad spectrum of project management topics.
The PMI’s offering is the most widely recognized of the project management certification options and is a great starting point when looking to build a PM-focused CV. For those closer to the start of their career’s the PMI also offers the CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) which requires only 23 hours of PM education or 1,500 hours experience.
- PRINCE2 Foundation or Practitioner
Founded by the UK government in the late 1980s to create a uniform methodology for applying to public projects, PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments) is widely recognized on an international level. This certification will show that you have completed the PRINCE2 Foundation course (for the Foundation certificate) or have passed an exam proving their ability to apply PRINCE2 in a scenario situation, to be recognized as a Practitioner. The methodology focuses on the full project cycle and how each stage can be effectively implemented and can be of great benefit if you’re thinking of pursuing a career internationally.
- MPM: Master Project Manager
The MPM offered by the American Academy of Project Management (AAPM) is a professional certification which demonstrates one’s experience and capabilities in running successful projects. It requires the candidate to have an in-depth understanding of best practices and methodologies, as well as having experience and training in their specific field.
- Certified ScrumMaster
Offered by the non-profit Scrum Alliance which has over 450,000 members worldwide, this project management certification is aimed at promoting the use of Agile methodologies in the workplace. As Agile has become so common in organizations, especially connected with IT, it is a very useful certification to have and as the ScrumMaster training course can be attended without prior experience it can be a great starting point if looking to get into the field.
- PgMP: Program Management Professional
If you are seeking to move up the ladder and show that you are capable of having effective oversight, on an overall program level, of multiple projects, then the PgMP is the certification you are looking for. Offered by the PMI it is geared towards senior level professionals and requires 6,000 hours (or 10,500 without a degree) of experience in program management.
