Find the right project management course
for you
Parallel offers both accredited and bespoke training to individuals and corporate clients. We pride ourselves on our interactive and engaging courses with high pass rates.
We're with you all the way
Individual
Individuals looking to enhance career prospects with professional training.
Group
Group training to enhance team project management skills.
Corporate
Delivering APM courses and tailored training to meet your business needs.
Which course is right for me?
Here at Parallel, we offer project management courses based on Association for Project Management (APM), Project Management Institute (PMI) and PRINCE2 methods, so we are ideally placed to advise you of the best route to follow to enhance your career prospects. The best qualifications or accreditation for any successful project management professional are dependent on previous experience, current industry sector, likely future employers and whether you will be working nationally or globally. More information is available below about our individual APM courses or give us a call and one of our team will help you find the right project management training courses for your specific experience and future ambitions.
Individual courses
APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)
From £325
Ideal for new project managers who want to learn the principles of project management.
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Learn the fundamental principles of project management
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Understand the common language of projects
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Gain confidence in your role
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Enhance your CV with a professional qualification
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No prior knowledge or experience is required
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1-hour multiple choice online exam
APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
From £850
Suitable for project managers who want to take their knowledge to the next level.
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Ideal for a project manager establishing a professional career
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Build on principles learnt in PFQ
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Learn the fundamental principles of leadership
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Assessed on a wide range of knowledge areas
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2–3 years’ project management experience desirable, but not required
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3-hour-15-minute online exam
APM Project
Professional Qualification (PPQ)
From £900
Best for experienced project professionals who want to enhance their existing skill set.
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For existing project managers who want to progress their career
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Learn to apply principles to real-world projects
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Expand your understanding of key concepts
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Must have a sound understanding of the PMQ syllabus
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Comprehensive assessment of project management capability
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3-part assessment, based on a pre-seen case study
APM Chartered
Project Professional (ChPP)
From £450
For experienced project professionals, looking to achieve the gold standard in professional recognition.
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Stand out in the job market with an enhanced CV
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Assurance for clients of high standards and ethical practice
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Must show a track record of delivering projects
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You’ll need knowledge of current project methods and practices
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You should be actively involved in the project profession
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2-part assessment with written and interview elements
Upcoming courses
Aug
- £1,650.00 excl. VAT
Aug
- £1,260.00 excl. VAT
Aug
- £600.00 excl. VAT
Aug
- £815.00 excl. VAT
Aug
- £1,250.00 excl. VAT
Sep
- £950.00 excl. VAT
Sep
- £1,260.00 excl. VAT
Sep
- £1,650.00 excl. VAT
Sep
- £300.00 excl. VAT
Sep
- £815.00 excl. VAT
Sep
- £1,250.00 excl. VAT
Oct
- £1,650.00 excl. VAT
Oct
- £815.00 excl. VAT
Oct
- £600.00 excl. VAT
Nov
- £1,260.00 excl. VAT
Nov
- £815.00 excl. VAT
Nov
- £1,650.00 excl. VAT
Nov
- £1,650.00 excl. VAT
Dec
- £815.00 excl. VAT
APM Project Fundamentals
Qualification (PFQ)
The APM PFQ course is suitable for new project managers who want to learn the principles of project management. There is no prior knowledge required, so this course is great for people looking to enter the profession with no previous work experience. This qualification offers the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that can support your journey into the field of project management. The exam is a 1-hour multiple-choice assessment, and our courses run over 2 days, meaning that you can get high-quality project management knowledge and training quickly.
The APM PFQ is a professional Project Fundamentals Qualification from the APM, the chartered body for the project profession.
This qualification is a highly practical training course for new project managers and others such as project team members and project management office (PMO) personnel. All candidates on the APM PFQ course will gain a solid understanding of the principles of project management which will help them contribute more effectively towards successful outcomes. The course will cover the processes and tools that are commonly used during the project life cycle. In addition, candidates will become familiar with the language and terminology commonly used by those working in a project environment.
This is not a course just aimed at project managers. Anyone can take the course to develop their understanding of managing projects. There are no pre-requisites either in terms of knowledge, previous experience or minimum level of academic qualifications.
The APM PFQ course covers the basic principles required by those working regularly on projects, some of which include:
- Creating a business case
- Agreeing the project scope
- Devising a realistic plan for delivering the project
- Monitoring project tasks and interdependencies
- Tracking and reporting project progress
- Identifying and managing risk factors
By taking this course you will learn highly practical skills and develop the necessary knowledge required to assist in the delivery of a project. For talented project managers wanting to progress their career to a leading role in a project environment, it will provide the essential basis for developing the skills you need. The APM PFQ is a widely recognised professional qualification and the first step to becoming accredited as a project professional. It is available face-to-face or as an online course.
Here are some of the topics covered on APM PFQ courses:
| The operating environment | Recognising the difference between one-off projects and business-as-usual (BAU) ways of working. Identifying ways in which the working environment can affect whether a project is a success. |
| Project life cycles | Cover the different types of life cycle, which include linear, iterative (for instance, agile) and hybrid life cycles. |
| Roles and responsibilities | Develop an understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of those involved in projects, such as the project manager, team members and end users/customers. |
| Planning | Learn about the elements involved in a project plan, including the schedule, baselines, milestones and deadlines. Look at key resources and budget management. This topic also covers the importance of the business case and the importance of defining success criteria at the outset of a project. |
| Scope | A variety of techniques are used to demonstrate how best to establish and manage the scope of any project. The prevention of ‘scope creep’ is also discussed due to the high risk posed by uncontrolled scope creep. |
| Scheduling and resource management | Examples of some of the methods for effectively scheduling and resourcing a project that are discussed include critical path analysis, milestone planning and time boxing. |
| Risk management | Candidates will have the opportunity to explore some of the ways to handle risks effectively and also learn about some of the tools that can assist with risk management. |
| Quality | Ensuring that each stage of a project is delivered to an accepted quality level (and how to ensure that) is covered in this topic area. |
| Communication | Gain an understanding of how to effectively communicate with others during a project, both internally with sponsors and other members of a project team and externally with customers and stakeholders. |
| Leadership | Begin to gain an understanding of basic theory on how to establish a team that can deliver projects successfully and how to motivate that team. |
Exam details
The APM PFQ exam is a 1-hour multiple-choice paper with 60 questions and a pass mark of 60%. It can be taken either in a classroom environment, or online via an online proctoring service.
Learning materials
Parallel Project Training have written a comprehensive study guide for the APM PFQ qualification, which is included with this project management course. We also include a wide range of other learning materials so that you have the flexibility to study in a variety of ways. The following are all included with this course:
- The Parallel PFQ study guide written by Parallel Project Training.
- Bite-size video lectures presented by the authors of the Parallel PFQ study guide.
- Reflection exercises in which you consider how to apply the principles to your projects.
- Podcasts which you can download and listen to whenever convenient.
- Over 100 practice multiple choice questions to check your progress within the course.
- A full sample exam paper.
APM Project Management
Qualification (PMQ)
The APM PMQ course is suited to project managers who have some experience, but are still early on in their careers. This course is a great way to demonstrate your professional knowledge and experience and gain a professional qualification. The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes and requires answering 10 short-response questions. This course develops project management knowledge, which provides a strong base for a project manager seeking to grow their career.
The APM PMQ is a professional Project Management Qualification from the APM, the chartered body for the project profession.
This qualification is designed for people actively working in a project environment. By undertaking a project management training course, you will build a firm foundation in project management behaviours, skills, processes and tools. These capabilities can be put to good use in any industry and are transferable across many industries.
APM PMQ is the ideal course for project managers who already have a few years’ experience working on and successfully delivering projects but want to consolidate their knowledge of a structured method of project management and implement a best-practice approach within their organisation.
By attending our APM PMQ course, you will learn how best to apply the principles of project management to the types of projects you already manage. You will also learn practical skills to improve your project delivery capabilities and be able to articulate the benefits of structured project management within your company.
The course is ideal for those early on in their project management career and leads to a widely recognised project management certification from the APM, the chartered body for the project management profession.
Here are some of the subjects covered on APM PMQ project management courses:
| Project context | Projects are carried out within various regulatory, political and business environments, so candidates will look at ways in which projects transform day-to-day operations and support organisational transformation. |
| Project structure | Investigation of the various types of companies in which project work is undertaken and the responsibilities of key players such as the project manager, sponsor, stakeholder and PMO. |
| Project life cycle | Cover the APM project life cycles and learn about the benefits of using different life cycles. Understand the importance of regular reviews and the advantages of capturing lessons learned. |
| Communication | Learn about the processes that can be used to effectively identify and manage project stakeholders and the key elements impacting effective communication. The contents and structure of a communications plan, negotiation skills and approaches to conflict resolution will also be covered. |
| Leadership and teamwork | Cover the leadership qualities required to be a successful project manager. Explore the principles of developing, motivating and leading project teams. Learn about the advantages of adopting situational leadership models within an organisation. |
| Project scope | How to define the scope of every project and how to efficiently control scope throughout the project life cycle. Requirements management and configuration management for both linear and agile project management approaches will be covered, as will the relationship between change control and configuration management. |
| Planning for success | This topic looks in detail at the management of stakeholders in relation to the communications plan. It also covers estimating techniques and how best to provide accurate estimates. |
| Scheduling and resource management | Techniques are learnt such as dependency networks, timeboxing and critical chain analysis. Resource management in relation to the scheduling process, budgeting and cost management and earned value management are also part of this topic area. |
| Risk management | A detailed examination of the risk management process and the advantages of proactively managing project risk. This topic also covers the difference between risks and issues, and the importance of an escalation process. |
| Quality management | Quality planning, assurance and control are all part of this topic. Candidates will also learn how best to apply relevant processes in real-world project environments. |
| Procurement | Learn how to find the right suppliers and work with them effectively and efficiently throughout the project. Explore procurement strategy, contractual relationships and payment types. |
Exam details
The APM PMQ exam consists of a 3-hour-15-minute written exam in which 10 questions must be answered out of a selection of 16. It can be taken either in-person in a classroom or remotely via an online proctoring service. The pass mark is 55%.
Learning materials
Parallel Project Training have written a comprehensive APM PMQ study guide. It is included in all of our APM courses. In addition, a wide variety of other learning resources are available to all candidates to offer flexibility and choice in ways to study. Learning resources that we provide with this project management course are:
- The Parallel APM PMQ study guide written by Parallel Project Training.
- Online e-learning modules which are closely integrated with the study guide.
- Podcasts which you can download and listen to whenever convenient.
- Online tutor support via our study group.
- A full sample exam paper.
APM Project Professional
Qualification (PPQ)
The APM PPQ course is suitable for experienced project managers who have several years’ experience of delivering projects. It will enhance your CV and demonstrate your project delivery skills. This course will set you firmly on the pathway to chartership. There is a 3-part assessment for the PPQ exam which is based on a pre-seen case study.
The APM PPQ builds on the knowledge gained in the APM PMQ. It leads to direct entry as a full member of the APM and is a recognised assessment route to become a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP). By demonstrating up-to-date knowledge of current practices and methods of project management a candidate can follow route 1 (professional practice, CPD and ethics) to chartered status.
The APM PPQ comprises a variety of tools, techniques, processes and skills that show candidates’ achievements in managing projects. The APM PPQ is ideal for more experienced project managers and specifically assesses the skills required to deliver projects, programmes and portfolios at a level between the APM PMQ and the coveted ChPP status.
On this course, you will learn about the importance of professionalism and managing others, including how to provide visionary leadership for a project and build high-performing project teams. In addition, you will learn how to deal with conflict in a constructive way, use structured problem solving to deal with issues and develop strategies for most effectively communicating with stakeholders.
On this course, you will also learn the fundamentals of governance and gain a thorough understanding of project planning and control, including a structured approach to managing the budget and actual costs for a project, and managing risks and issues in a proactive way.
Topics covered on APM PPQ courses:
Module 1 – Effective leadership and management
- Provide vision and direction.
- Establish, develop and manage project teams.
- Resolve conflict.
- Solve problems in a structured and logical way.
- Make decisions that support project objectives.
- Manage stakeholders with an awareness of their influence and interests.
- Negotiate effectively with key people and groups.
Module 2 – Governance
- Establish and maintain structures that define clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities.
- Establish and manage reviews which will inform governance of the change initiatives.
- Establish protocols to alter change initiatives and update configuration documentation.
- Deliver the anticipated benefits.
Module 3 – Planning and control
- Prepare budgets and control actual costs.
- Proactively manage risks including identification, evaluation and responses.
- Proactively manage issues.
- Prepare a project plan that includes scope, resources, risks, budgets, issues and quality criteria.
Assessment details
The APM PPQ assessment comprises 3 parts:
- A scenario task, where you will play the role of the project manager in a pre-seen case study situation. A typical task might be negotiating a change request with stakeholders or presenting a progress report to senior management. The assessors will play the role of the stakeholders.
- An oral assessment, during which you will answer questions about the pre-seen case study. For example, ‘Critically analyse the approach to leadership in this case study’.
- A written report, where you will be asked more in-depth questions about the pre-seen case study. For example, ‘Prepare a brief report, for senior management, on the governance structures used in a project’.
Learning materials
- A copy of our PPQ study guide, written by Parallel Project Training. It is designed to guide you through this course with everything required to gain the PPQ.
- Sample scenario questions and answers.
APM Chartered Project
Professional (ChPP)
The APM ChPP course is the highest level of APM qualification. Gaining chartered status is a significant step in the career of any project professional. It represents a significant and ongoing contribution to the profession. The ChPP qualification has 3 different assessment routes depending on your previous experience and whether you hold any professional qualifications.
The APM ChPP standard is the gold standard for project management worldwide. It is intended for those who wish to demonstrate their competent leadership and ability to successfully manage highly complex projects, programmes and portfolios.
Parallel Project Training delivers an APM ChPP course for project professionals in 3 parts: an initial half-day workshop, follow-on coaching and a half-day interview coaching session. All parts are bespoke, 1-on-1 sessions that provide advice and guidance for the ChPP application process. The APM provides application guidance, but most applicants will benefit from additional support to make a successful ChPP application.
In order to undertake one of these project management courses, you will need to be actively involved in managing projects, have up-to-date knowledge of methods and best practices and a proven track record in project, programme or portfolio management. You must also have undertaken 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) in the year preceding your application and commit to that same level of CPD every year.
Topics covered on APM ChPP courses
The professional practice and technical knowledge areas to be demonstrated include the following 7 mandatory competences. There are 5 of these mandatory competences from which you choose either a or b:
- a) Budgeting and cost control OR
- b) Financial management
- a) Change control OR
- b) Conflict resolution
- a) Governance arrangements OR
- b) Reviews
- a) Integrated planning OR
- b) Schedule management
- a) Leadership OR
- b) Team management
- Risk and issue management
- Stakeholder engagement and communication management
In addition, there are a further 5 elective competences to be demonstrated from a choice of 16:
- Assurance
- Benefits management
- Business case
- Capability development
- Contract management
- Diversity and inclusion
- Life cycles
- Portfolio shaping
- Procurement
- Quality management
- Requirements management
- Resource capacity planning
- Resource management
- Solutions development
- Sustainability
- Transition management
Assessment details
The ChPP assessment is in 2 parts, a written application and an interview, but there are 3 different routes:
- Route 1 – for those with a recognised assessment for technical knowledge – involves a professional practice written application and a 1-hour interview.
- Route 2 – for those with a recognised assessment for technical knowledge and professional practice – involves a short-written application and a 30-minute interview.
- Route 3 – for those with no recognised assessment but who meet the eligibility criteria – involves a professional practice written application and a 2-hour interview focussed on that and your technical knowledge.
See our Definitive guide to project management qualifications for a list of recognised assessments and eligibility criteria.
Get in touch to discuss your needs and find out more about the project management training courses we offer.
Case studies
Unlocking the Power of Engineering
How Tony Gee’s Innovative Project Management Training is Transforming the Future of Engineering Design Consultancy Tony Gee is an engineering […]
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Oxford Policy Management
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Streetworks (Transport for London)
Streetworks is a community-led project funded by Transport for London (TfL) that works with local forums and other partners to improve the local area & build skills within their community. Parallel worked with a streetworks to develop a project management method children can follow. For this work we were a finalist in the APM Awards.
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Essex Cares
Francine Morgan, a project manager with Essex Cares, a company providing social care services to UK local authorities, recently completed the APMP distance learning programme & achieved a remarkable 90% pass rate – one of the highest scores ever achieved via any type of training programme for the prestigious APMP qualification.
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Turner & Townsend
Leading global programme management and construction consultancy Turner & Townsend embarked on a project management e-learning programme in 2012 to enable it’s project management professionals to achieve internationally recognised status with (APM) qualifications.
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Network Rail
In the wake of the independent 2011 McNulty report, which recommended how the rail industry could deliver a safe and efficient railway that represented value-for-money for both fare payers and taxpayers, a transformation has been taking place at Network Rail.
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IFS
As one of the world’s leading Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems providers IFS has a global client base with complex projects, involving implementations in several countries. The bespoke training programme developed for them by Parallel, therefore, focused specifically on the behaviours and competences needed to deliver complex international projects.
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Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
Science and technology-based research and development projects, like those carried out by Dstl, often have uncertain outcomes with intangible or obscure benefits. This meant that standard project management courses were largely irrelevant. Parallel, therefore, replaced and adapted courses previously in use at Dstl and introduced a variety of new bespoke…
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National Trust
The National Trust has complex and unique projects and wanted to improve their project management capabilities. Their existing project management framework was incorporated into the training programme devised by Parallel whilst also introducing external project management best-practises to develop a more professional approach to projects within…
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Prince2®
Initially established by the UK government, PRINCE2® is now a globally recognised project management approach. With 2 levels of qualification, it allows you to gain knowledge of the PRINCE2® methodology and demonstrate your ability to apply the methodology to real-world projects.
APM
The Association for Project Management (APM) is the only chartered body for the project profession. With 4 levels of qualification, it supports project professionals throughout their career. APM is competence based, demonstrating the ability of project managers who achieve their qualifications to complete projects effectively.
PRINCE2® is an acronym for Projects in Controlled Environments and is a specific project management method used in various industries and taught on project management courses across the world. The PRINCE method was initially established by the UK government in the 1970s to issue guidance on how best to ensure the successful delivery of information technology projects.
The PRINCE2® project management courses and the PRINCE2® methodology are widely recognised and have evolved to use 7 principles, themes and processes. It is flexible enough to be adapted for use on projects of varying size and complexity, and a wide range of different business sectors and industries now use this popular project management method. PRINCE2® is still mostly used in the IT sector where many organisations have tailored it to their own methods.
PRINCE2® is a formal methodology with standard templates and processes and well-defined roles and responsibilities. That is a fundamental difference between PRINCE2® and APM qualifications. The APM is not a method but a competence development path, for individuals, that develops the necessary skills and behaviours to deliver successful outcomes. Both have their own unique type of training to ensure project managers are suitably qualified for the relevant environment. An APM qualified project manager can use any method.
The skills and competencies desired by APM are based on the APM competence framework and the widely accepted practice described in the APM Body of Knowledge. The Body of Knowledge is written by practicing project management professionals, and as such includes proven, tried and tested approaches. It’s never cutting edge; it simply represents the combined wisdom of many practicing project professionals.
PRINCE2® is a process based, structured approach – it is about following a standard set of processes to maximise the chances of delivering a project successfully. APM qualifications and training are about developing the behaviours, competencies and professional skills needed to deliver successful outcomes.
There are 3 main PRINCE2® qualifications:
PRINCE2® Foundation qualification
This course of study and qualification is best suited to people already working in project teams, those just starting out on their project management career or people supporting projects (such as in a PMO). It is also useful for those with career ambitions to become a project manager. There are no pre-requisites to taking this particular course and exam.
PRINCE2® Practitioner qualification
People taking this particular project management course will gain a detailed understanding of how to apply the PRINCE2® processes. They learn planning techniques that will help them prepare a project plan and perform a risk analysis and understand the risk management process. Implementing quality control and change control procedures are also covered.
Every candidate for the PRINCE2® Practitioner Qualification must have passed the PRINCE2® Foundation exam or an equivalent such as PMP, CAPM or IPMA. Full pre-requisite details can be found in our Definitive guide to project management qualifications.
In practice, many accredited training providers like Parallel Project Training will run single concurrent courses covering both Foundation and Practitioner level PRINCE2® qualifications. These are available as both a face-to-face course and an online project management course.
PRINCE2® Agile qualification
The PRINCE2 Agile certification also encompasses a Foundation level and a Practitioner level for those involved in agile projects.
As with the PRINCE2® Foundation, the PRINCE2® Agile Foundation require no previous experience. On these agile project management courses, candidates will gain access to a range of agile concepts and learn how to use the structure and control of PRINCE2® alongside an agile approach.
The PRINCE2® Agile Practitioner qualification has the same pre-requisites as PRINCE2® Practitioner i.e. PRINCE2® Foundation, PMI Project Management Professional PMP, CAPM or IPMA accreditation. It is available as both a face-to-face course and an online course.
PMP®
The Project Management Professional (PMP®) qualification is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a project management body based in the USA. The PMI has specific requirements for each of its qualifications, which are underpinned by their body of knowledge, the PMBoK.
APM
The Association for Project Management (APM) bases its qualifications around its competence framework and body of knowledge (APM BoK). It provides qualifications from the PFQ through to the ChPP level. APM qualifications are globally recognised, and APM is the only chartered body for the project profession.
The USA-based Project Management Institute (PMI) has project management qualifications that are the most widely known and are globally recognised. There are qualifications like CAPM for team members and a range of other accreditations for all levels including those involved in programme management. However, the best-known of the PMI qualifications is the PMP.
Similar to the APM the PMI uses a body of knowledge (PMBoK) to underpin all of its courses. Like the APM Body of Knowledge, the PMBoK is a standard rather than a methodology like PRINCE2. However, the PMI version is more focused on process groups and tools, so develops practical project management skills. It has less focus on areas of competence such as leadership and conflict management but does cover time management. The PMBoK is updated over time to recognise the fact that project management is a developing field in which best practices are evolving.
The PMBoK standard is based on 5 process groups:
- Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring
5. Controlling and closing
10 knowledge areas support these 5 process groups:
- Integration management
2. Scope management
3. Schedule management
4. Cost management
5. Quality control and management
6. Resource allocation and management
7. Communications management
8. Risk management
9. Procurement management
10. Stakeholder management
The 5 process groups also describe well over 100 tools and procedures which a project manager could use to improve their project management skills. These include areas such as change control tools, conflict management, earned value management and quality audits amongst many others.
The PMI approach is well-suited to large or complex projects, but it can also be easily tailored for simpler requirements. The newest edition also covers agile concepts.
PMP® certification
Studying for the PMP certification via a course helps people develop an in-depth, comprehensive knowledge of the PMBoK and the PMI approach. The best courses will include realistic case studies to ensure that candidates develop their understanding of project management principles.
Anyone wishing to study project management online to gain the PMP certification must have already completed 35 hours of project management training. This can be from a range of training, including internal project management courses. Candidates also need at least 3 years’ project management experience or 5 years’ experience if they do not have a degree-level qualification. Full pre-requisite details can be found in our Definitive guide to project management qualifications.
The PMP® is the most widely accepted project management certification across the globe and, as such, is one of the best project management courses for those who work internationally or wish to join an international organisation.
How can parallel help?
If you are unsure which is the best qualification, some key questions to ask are:
- Are you looking to learn a set of rules to guide projects?
- What sectors do you work in?
- Are you planning to work internationally?
- Are you looking to develop and demonstrate your overall competence?
Get in touch to find out more about the project management training courses we offer.
Unsure which course you want?
Still have some questions?
Please get in touch and our team will be happy to discuss your training needs.
We're with you all the way
What is the best course for me?
APM, PMP®, PRINCE2® and other certifications
Here we take a brief look at some of the most popular project management qualifications and what you should consider when choosing the best accreditation for you and your career aspirations. For more details about all available qualifications nationally and internationally read our Definitive Guide to Project Management Qualifications.