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Studying For Project Management Training Courses...

Project Management has a place in all areas of industry. Those considering training or retraining to build a career in this sector will find it a stimulating and exacting profession, and extremely rewarding. It appeals to people who are numerate and logical, and who have a good technical aptitude. The ability to communicate well with others is a plus point as well, because much of the success of a project depends on everyone pulling together.

...With Ease And Efficiency

For most companies time and money are critical, yet they don't want to compromise on quality and delivery. All stages of a business or production process need to be professionally controlled and optimised, hence the need for Project Management. Whilst training you could become a member of the support team in a project, then a programme officer or team leader for one section of a project.

You'll find a range of commercial colleges that provide Project Management training. All project management training will cover certain fundamentals, but the more advanced the course, the more you will get into the complexities of planning and controlling large scale operations.

De-mystifying The Jargon

There is a language within Project Management that trainees need to get to grips with. To gain an awareness of how projects differ from standard work activities, you'll need to recognise PM terms and techniques and their applications. Do some research of your own to discover the different approaches used by Project Managers, and the various training routes that will prepare students for work.

It's Been Around A While...

Much of what we term Project Management today has been around for a very long time. Techniques such as brute force may have been common in early projects, but the discipline evolved over the centuries. The early 1900's saw the development of PM tools and techniques, with Henry Gantt producing his Gantt chart and Henri Fayol proposing five primary management functions and fourteen principles of management.

The Gantt Chart was considered to be revolutionary when it was first introduced. Essentially a type of bar chart, it illustrates a project schedule which can show the start and finish dates of every element of a project and even the dependency relationships between activities.

Let's Bring It Up To Date

Project Management as defined by today's standards started to unfold around the middle of the 20th century, as a more systemised approach came into play. New methods had to be developed to deal with the complexities of building the Polaris Missile submarine programme. Thus the PERT chart was developed to simplify the planning and scheduling of this massive project.

Private enterprise quickly caught on to this and other mathematical techniques for managing projects. Alongside scheduling projections came technology for engineering economics, cost estimating and cost management.

International Project Management Association

Under the original name 'International Management Systems Association', the renamed International Project Management Association was established in the sixties. Initiated in Switzerland, it was created to promote project management internationally. Members come from a number of business sectors, and have a broad competence in the profession.

PMI

Then in the US in 1969 the Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed. The 'Project Management Body of Knowledge' from PMI is now an internationally recognised standard in the industry. It documents and standardises internationally accepted project management practises, information and procedures. In addition to the general guide, specialised extensions have now been produced which cover the unique aspects of certain industries (e.g. Government, construction etc). Training courses are available which cover all aspects of the PMBOK Guide. They are available throughout the world, and prepare students for the PMI certifications, which are known as PMP (the Project Management Professional) and CAPM ( the Certified Associate of Project Management).

PRINCE2

In the UK, PRINCE2 is a very popular project management method, and there are many companies providing training programs in it. The method can work with most project management techniques, but it predominantly describes product based planning, change control technique and quality review technique.

Students undergoing this training will learn how to manage projects within a clearly defined framework. The adoption of PRINCE2 promotes continual learning and improvement for staff members and organisations. It's a checklist for success.

There are a variety of other qualifications and training levels, such as the entry level APM UK Introductory Certificate in Project Management.

Learning how to manage people has been found to be just as important as learning how to manage processes - the best courses will deal with both aspects. A career in Project Management takes study and work - but it could prove the most satisfying thing you do.