As we step into 2024, are you aware of Project management’s latest trends and figures? This blog will help you with the latest Project Management certification details. By 2027, employers will need nearly 88 million individuals in project management-oriented roles. India and China will represent over 75 percent of the total project management-oriented employment. ~ PMI.
What is a Project Management Certification?
The certification in project management is a professional qualification that serves as a stamp certifying the knowledge and skills possessed by an individual concerning managing projects. It usually entails doing a regimented course, passing an examination, and sometimes meeting some workplace requirements.
But, is a certification worth it? Well, it depends. Various project management certifications can also help your career by proving that you have the necessary skills and knowledge. Moreover, they often provide much better employment opportunities, higher salary rates, and also career progression. If you are looking to develop in strategic management and prove your abilities not only from the hard but also from the soft ones, being certified could be a perfect solution for you.
Best Project Management Certifications for 2024
Project Management certifications always remained at the top of every sector, especially in IT Certification for the past few years. So Project Managers play a very vital role in all kinds of operations and industries.
Additionally, we have done some quick surveys on the most popular job portals and with certain Project Management employers. Certainly, PMP Certification is the most favorite and popular among the Project Management Certifications.
Some of the other popular Project management certifications are CAPM, Program Management Professional (PgMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP), and PRINCE2 Foundation/PRINCE2 Practitioner.
1. Project Management Professionals Certification (PMP Certification)
PMI(Project Management Institute) which is again a US-based organization provides a lot of Project Management Certifications like Program Management Professional (PgMP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA), PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP), PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP), and the most popular PMI Project Management for Professionals (PMP).
Moreover, PMI standards are very rigorous, and certification like PMP is one of the toughest examinations. They verify if the aspirants hold credentials and meet the required educational skills.
Organization: Project Management Institute
Prerequisite skills:
4-year degree, 4,500 hours in leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education
OR
Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or equivalent), 7,500 hours leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education.
Certification Cost per exam
Paper-based and computer-based exams:
PMI member: $405 (retake $275)
Non-member: $655 (retake $375)
Out of all these trending certifications, PMP Certification is the most trending and popular course in the Project Management world.
What’s More…
It is an all-around perceived Certification for Project Managers. It is said to be the Gold Standard of Project Management. There are 1 million PMP Certified Managers around the world. Additionally, PMP Certification Training shows the experience, ability, and competency required to lead and direct activities. Also, PMP is the most sought-after course directed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), USA. This Certification encourages people to comprehend the functionalities of Project Management at more extensive skylines.
However, becoming a PMP Certified is time-consuming, a bit complicated, and expensive but it comes with a high level of commitment as well in the Project Management Profession. So, having PMP certification will give you a good edge over non-certified project managers as well as a certain level of prestige and access to jobs with higher salaries. As a fact, PMP Certified gets a 20% hike on their salary. It takes around 6 months to prepare for the PMP exam. It is important to attend 35 hours of PMP Certification Training before you take your PMP Exam.
Furthermore, a PMP certification shapes you as a proficient Project Manager, however, that relies upon how genuinely you take up your course. A Project Manager needs to deal with a great set of tasks and over every single perspective of the project. Also, undertaking projects may need to prepare others and assess colleagues and sometimes even ground workers. There are innumerable advantages of a PMP Certification as it doesn’t restrict you from being from a particular field. It serves the best as it provides sound and better career opportunities It is your stepping stone to new markets, new industries, and even new countries.
2. Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
If you’re looking for a certification that could distinguish you in the job market and enhance your credibility to manage projects, look nowhere else. Because CAPM is the right choice that you can make. CAPM (Certified Associate of Project Management) is the entry-level Project Management certification and you can call say the stepping stone for the PMP Certification. (Although it is not mandatory for the PMP Exam).
Additionally, It demonstrates your understanding of the fundamental knowledge, terminology, and processes of effective project management like project risk assessment and project communication management. Moreover, CAPM is valid for five years and doesn’t require any Professional Development Units (PDUs) to be renewed.
Organization: Project Management Institute
Examination Cost
Computer- or paper-based exams:
PMI member: $225 (retake $150)
Nonmember: $300 (retake $200)
The exam is available in online proctored or center-based test (CBT) formats.
Exam administered by Pearson VUE.
Requirements: High-school diploma, associate degree or equivalent, and at least 1,500 hours of project management experience or 23 hours of project management education
3. Program Management Professional (PgMP)
PMI certifications are very flexible and are not specifically based on a specific methodology or approach. It’s very flexible and adaptable between industries because we are talking about diversifying industries across the group which can be the IT industry, automobile industry, telecom industry, network industry, construction, etc. So as part of your continuous learning process, you can update yourself with a higher level of skill set which is more appropriate to manage multiple projects under a common umbrella by going for a PGMP certification.
Additionally, they understand what value this program is going to achieve which will enhance the strategy of the organization. A Program Manager thus can be considered as a very farsighted professional in comparison to the Project Manager. Moreover, the Program Manager is typically higher in the hierarchy as he doesn’t have the authority like a project manager to achieve the objective and that’s the challenge that needs to play with soft skills, interact as well, and engage with different people in the hierarchy to get things done.
4. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
A lot of organizations adopt Agile methodologies as it had become more popular and a lot of Project management practitioners are qualified to manage Agile environments.
Although there are a lot of Scrum Master certifications that are available the most popular among those is ScrumMaster (CSM) from the Scrum Alliance. In addition, the current organization promotes a large number of groups, communities, and resources for professional development.
Moreover, some of the certifications include Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM), and Certified Scrum Professional – Scrum Master (CSP-SM).
Organization: Scrum Alliance
Prerequisites/required courses: General familiarity with Scrum
Certification Cost:
Completion of a two-day CSM training course (price varies by training provider; candidates can expect to pay $920 to $1,295)
5. Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP)
This specific certification is directly provided by the PMI. It adopts Agile project management and also supports the development of skills related to the use of agile methodology for managing projects.
In regards to this course, you will receive an in-depth guide on all the Agile practices like Kanban and Scrum, and learn about software development extreme programming and its use; Moreover, it teaches how one can implement the same. The coursework is most suitable for agile organizations and also teams. Also, it includes many training modules that educate the person on how to implement Agile practices and the Scrum framework.
Organization: Project Management Institute
Prerequisite skills:
- Diploma or a two-year degree.
- Not less than 2000 hours in project management.
- Eight long months of previous work with Agile teams or companies.
- Twenty-one hours of agile practice training is a good amount.
6. Prince2 Foundation and Practitioner Course
Employers value the PRINCE2 project management certificates a lot. Specifically tailored as project management certifications for beginners, PRINCE2 offers two accessible levels: Foundation and Practitioner.
Your entry point is the PRINCE2 Foundation. This introductory class lays down a sound foundation of understanding for the PRINCE2 methodology, its principles, processes, and also PM roles.
Furthermore, after learning the fundamentals, PRINCE2 Practitioner advances your project management knowledge to a higher level. It aims at enabling you to learn the best methods on how PRINCE2 can be used for particular projects and develops your confidence in being able to employ it in actual situations.
Moreover, The Foundation exam tests your knowledge of PRINCE2 theory, checking whether you understand all its main ideas and principles.
On the other hand, the Practitioner exam measures how well you can apply PRINCE2 in real-life projects. It has many cases to view how you will use the PRINCE2 principles in practice. These tests are very essential qualifying criteria to measure your understanding of the PRINCE2’s theoretical knowledge and its practical use for advanced development skills in test-driven.
Organization: Axelos
Prerequisite skills: While there is no prerequisite for the PRINCE2® Foundation Certification Exam. While PRINCE2 Practitioner requires one of the following: • PRINCE2 Foundation; Project Management Professional (PMP); the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), or IPMA certification.
Certification exam per cost:
The cost of the PRINCE2 Foundation exam is usually around $300 to $500, with that of the Practitioner test being between about $400. These costs may vary concerning the location and training organization that provides such courses.
Tips to prevail in any of your Project Management Certification Examination
1. Have a plan before you start studying
The first and foremost step towards starting to prepare for this exam, plan how things should go further as you cover topics one by one. It will act as a roadmap for your preparation journey. You surely don’t want to get lost in so much preparation, right?
There should be some points like how much time you will spend daily. Give yourself a deadline. Try to answer simple questions and prepare a schedule accordingly to succeed in this because perfect small steps will lead to a successful ending.
2. Play and learn with flashcards
Preparing for the certification is a very hectic and daunting process. Using flashcards can be very effective for your learning process as well as concepts. You should use flashcards to test yourself as well as have fun while learning or testing yourself. This will be a little less overwhelming and will enhance your performance.
3. Try Online Exam Prep Webinars/Workshops
Various webinars and workshops are held by Project Management Experts to give information on the latest things in the Project Management world. It clears your doubts and keeps you updated with the trends or changes happening lately. Also, the experts will share their journey through which you will get help crossing hurdles during your preparation.
4. Read the Exam Prep blogs
There are a lot of reading options over the internet. Various Project management-based organizations come up with the latest trends and updated blogs regarding exam preparation. You can also join some communities on Facebook or LinkedIn to stay updated about the latest blogs.
5. Participate in group discussions and forums
Do you know that millions of people are there in Project Management groups on LinkedIn?
Project Managers of specific industries?
YES !!!
It takes nothing but some of your precious time to take part in Group discussions and forums so that you get to know the latest trends and facts in the Project Management community. Learn about other alternate resources that will reduce your time for preparing.
6. Use the Best Study Material
Always check with the previous experts which material is the best to refer for any Project Management Certification.
Most of the people face difficulties understanding the topics and so they don’t get through the exam. For example, Rita Mulcahy is the best material for PMP Certification Training.
It is said that by 2027 there will be 2.2 MILLION new Project-oriented job roles each year how are you planning to fill in??
If you are planning to get certified and move ahead with your career growth learn and get certified for better growth and opportunity.
