Why continue with PM training when you’re already in the job?

Continue with PM training as a great way to add to your professional tool box or transfer that toolbox to a new role entirely. For those reasons alone it’s worth keeping up-to-date with professional training.

When you’ve been working as a project manager for a while it’s not time to rest on your laurels. Continuing with training for project managers , whether through external project management courses or tailored in-house courses, may not be your first thought but it can be a savvy thing to do because nothing stays the same in our working life. Situations change and a dream job can feel as though it is losing its shine, or your existing knowledge base may not be enough for you to be able to transfer to a new role. If you’re in this situation, you might want to continue with PM training. New skills and qualifications can be a fantastic way to pull yourself out of a role you’re not happy with.

Remain or retrain?

It is no secret that project management is exciting, yet those challenges can become a source of stress if you are not managing projects that are right for you. This sense of disillusionment can quickly (and often mistakenly) make you think you need to re-train for a new career but why throw away all that experience when that disillusionment is being driven by the type of projects you are working on and perhaps even the company that you are working for?

Adding to your skill set

Training, therefore, can be an ideal way to add to your project management skills and help re-energise your existing role or it can help retrain you so that you can look for work in a different industry sector. Of course; being a project manager actually brings advantages if you decide you do want to begin a new career because you will already have a handy skill set to bring to the table especially if you stay within the same industry. Those who decide to follow career paths such as business analysts, portfolio managers, heads of department and other similar roles will already have a good set of transferable management skills – their delivery experience is already there.

Home grown

Many project managers are grown and nurtured “in house”. This on the job training naturally provides them with a wealth of experience within that particular sector but they often reach a point where it is necessary to complete qualifications – especially if working in or wanting to work in the private sector. So choosing to continue with PM training to gain widely recognised accreditation can help provide that professional element.

The career ladder

It can be difficult to get past a certain level of seniority without project management qualifications and even when you’ve completed training and you’re already in the job – continuing with your professional development can be the smart thing to do. It’s a bit of a catch 22 – you need the theory to get the job, but the real-life working experience can bring challenges you may need additional help to overcome. This just proves that it’s never too late to go back to the classroom!