Project management certifications: taking stock
In recent years, we often hear about project management certifications. With the development of online courses and training, more and more organisations and institutes are offering courses to improve project management skills .
Who are these trainings aimed at? What are the costs? In which cases are they useful?
Having briefly looked at the characteristics of project management within companies, let us try to answer all these questions.
The importance of project management in companies
Project management: definition
Project management concerns the organisation and management of the resources required for the realisation of company projects.
In any organisation, of any size, project management is one of the most important activities in a company, as it enables the company to achieve its strategic objectives by means of good resource and cost management.
The project manager
Starting from the objectives to be achieved, a good project manager is able to define a clear and precise roadmap, detailing the time and resources needed. Here are some of the main competences and skills required to be a good project manager
- define measurable metrics
- drawing up a management plan,
- making cost-benefit estimates,
- allocating available resources,
- monitoring progress over time,
- manage risks and issues, etc.
The skills required are many. That's why, if you want to make a career in this field, obtaining a certification proving that you possess project management skills can be very important.
Project management certifications: what are they?
Most project managers have a degree in management and business management. However, depending on the type of project manager you want to become, it is also possible to specialise in a specific area (marketing, IT, engineering, etc.).
In order to increase and refine skills in this area, it is also possible to participate in specific training. In addition to increasing individual knowledge, obtaining a certificate can make all the difference on a CV.
But what are the most well-known PM certificates in Italy? Let's look at them together.
The PMP certification
Issued by the Project Management Institute, this is probably the most prestigious certification. To access project manager roles, many companies require PMP® certification as a prerequisite.
The PMP (Project Management Professional) guarantees several advantages:
- internationally recognised certificate
- enhanced project management skills,
- opportunities for career growth,
- greater reputation, authority and credibility inside and outside the organisation, etc.
Open to both school leavers and graduates (but with different professional requirements depending on the 2 profiles), the examination consists of 200 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 4 hours. The questions cover the 5 processes of project management:
- Initiation,
- Planning,
- Execution,
- Controlling,
- Closing.
It is possible to take the examination in Italian, online or in a specialised centre.
The cost of the examination is as follows
- 340 € for members of the Project Management Institute,
- 465 € for non-members.
☝ Once the certificate is obtained, it is renewed every 3 years at a cost of 50 € for members or 150 € for non-members. The required membership fee is around 100 €.
CAPM certification
Also issued by the Project Management Institute, the CAPM® (Certified Associate in Project Management) certification is particularly suitable for people who do not have the professional requirements needed to take the PMP.
The exam, sustainable in Italian both online and in presence, is composed of 150 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in 3 hours. Here are the topics covered by the questions:
- Introduction to project management,
- Role of the Project Manager,
- Project Integration,
- Project scope,
- Scheduling,
- Project costs,
- Project quality,
- Resource allocation,
- Communications,
- Critical issues,
- Project Procurement,
- Project Stakeholders.
Junior project managers interested in this SME certification, have to bear a cost of:
- 185 € for members,
- 250 € for non-members.
The only requirement for membership is knowledge of the PMBOK® standard, i.e. the international customs used in project management.
The PMI-ACP certification
Also organised by the Project Management Institute, this certification is increasingly in demand year after year. Obtaining it in fact certifies the knowledge and application of some of the most well-known ' agile' methodologies (in particular Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Extreme Programming and Test Driven Development).
To enrol, it is sufficient to have a high school diploma (as well as some experience within an agile team). The examination consists of 120 multiple-choice questions, to be completed within 3 hours. Topics range from the agile framework to the so-called ' knowledge domains':
- Agile methodologies,
- Value-Driven Delivery,
- Stakeholder Engagement,
- Boosting Team Performance Practices,
- Adaptive Planning,
- Problem detection and Resolution,
- Continuous Improvement.
Again, costs vary according to status:
- 365 € for PMI members,
- 415 € for non-members.
💡 For all PMI certifications, candidates have a maximum of 3 attempts to pass. If these are not enough to pass, it is necessary to wait 12 months before re-registering.
The great growth of project management certifications
According to ISIPM (IStituto Italiano di Project Management), almost 90% of project management certifications, come from the Project management Institute. In 2018, the latest available data, there were 7434 PMI agile® certifications issued in Italy.
With the rise of e-learning, more and more online courses make it possible to prepare for these exams in comfort. We have no doubt: the number of certifications issued in the years to come is destined to grow!
And you, do you possess one of these certifications? Or are you planning to prepare for one? If you wish, you can comment below.
Article translated from Italian