Who is Managing Your Career?

Career management is, ironically, one of the biggest challenges facing today's Project Managers.

According to a survey conducted by Parity, 64% of organisations consider project management skills to be the most important for their employers to learn. 72% intend to invest in project management training for their employees.

However, 66% of the employees surveyed indicated that they did not have the time to balance work commitments with professional training.

Too often, employees take a passive stance regarding the development of their own careers. They rely on managers to push them through the most necessary courses. Contractors are in an even more precarious position, having total responsibility for identifying and resolving development needs.

The Options

There are three main development options open to Project Managers: a degree-level qualification; work experience; and professional courses.

Degree

A degree might seem like a big commitment, but the investment repays impressive dividends. Full-time and part-time (often online distance learning) courses are offered by most universities, at Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate level.

Postgraduate courses require either an undergraduate degree, or an equivalent professional qualification, or extensive professional experience. They generally last up to two years part-time, and cost in the region of £5000-£8000.

University funding is sometimes available. In some cases, it is also possible to ask your employer to fund all or part of your course.

Work Experience

Arras People, in their 2008 Project Management Survey, demonstrated that the most highly-paid and sought-after Project Managers were those who demonstrated significant experience.

Volunteering with a charity or a not-for-profit organisation is one route to gaining project experience. It is also a good idea to talk to other colleagues about the responsibilities and opportunities at more advanced grades.

Secondments, when an employee can spend a set length of time gaining experience of a different role within the same company, can be invaluable opportunities for learning new skills, establishing a network, and proving Project Management capabilities.

Professional Project Management Courses

Short, work-related courses are perhaps the most popular vehicle for career development. Cheaper and more focused than a degree, professional certification in a recognised qualification demonstrates awareness, commitment and ability.

PRINCE2TM is currently the most widely-recognised Project Management qualification in the UK, and its methodology is standard in the public sector. Also available are the qualifications offered by the Association of Project Management (APM), which follow a four-tier progression from ‘Introductory Certificate' to ‘Certified Project Manager'.
What should you consider before taking a course?
• Content: identify your training need, and select your course and training provider accordingly. Does the curriculum cover MS Project and Gantt charts? Do you need to demonstrate more formal communicative skills?

• Level: consider the different levels of qualification careful to determine which is best suited to your needs, skills and experience.

• Accreditation: if you are opting for professional certification, then ensure that the training provider is accredited by the relevant organisation.

• Size of class: the ratio of students to trainer has an impact on how well you learn. Make sure that you will not be adrift in a class of sixty, or you may not even get to learn your trainer's name.

Equally important is to make sure that there are enough students in the class to create a dynamic learning environment. The ideal number is usually between four and fifteen students.

• Post-course support: does your training provider offer any support in the transference of your new knowledge to the work environment? This may come in the form of a post-course review session, software that contains materials relevant to the course, or something as simple as a ‘practical application' module at the end of the course.

Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers PRINCE2 training in the UK and overseas. He can be contacted via the KnowledgeTrain prince2 exam website.