Anyone done a Project Manager training course?

[WendyBoatComesIn]

Are they much of a muchness, or are some more well regarded?

I have an arts/film background.

Hi Wendy

I have been an IT PM for the last 5 years or so. Regardless of what industry you are in, there are a couple of 'gold standard' qualifications- they are PMP and PRINCE2.

I don't know too much about PMP, but I am PRINCE2 qualified.

You can take PRINCE2 at either foundation or practitioner level. I did both on the same course. It was a 5 day course with the foundation paper on the Wednesday afternoon and the practitioner paper on the Friday morning. Its a fairly gruelling week but well worth it. I think the course cost about £1200 but its money well spent as most PM jobs will require you to have some kind of certification (as well as some relevant job experience!)

If you good 'PRINCE2 training' you should find plenty of information on courses local to you.

Good luck!

Google even, not good!!

I did Prince2 a year ago. Believe it has been, or is about to be, updated. Having done project management on and off, with no formal training, for years I did not find it enlightening-it is a lot of acronyms for the sake of it really. However, it is the most widely recognised qualification, fairly inexpensive and not hugely difficult. I have hugely increased my salary and believe there is a direct causal link. I would do it again.

Thanks very much for getting back to me, much appreciated.

Yep, another vote for prince 2. I'm unqualified also, but will go for it when current contract finishes. All jobs seem to request it.

I have heard the feedback that it doesn't make you a better project manager, it just teaches you a certain way of doing things, that some industries comply with. In my industry, people seem to do the course, forget it all then plough on regardless.

I'm not actually a project manager yet, although I think quite a lot of the work I've done seems to involve the same sort of tasks.

Project managers out there, what industries do you work in? I'm curious as to how a course that is so short (and generic?) can be industry specific - is it more a general overview, and you already had contacts/experience in the field you work in?

Sorry, very long sentence!

I would go for PRINCE2 too. PRINCE2 is often used for projects (especially government ones) because it is so generic and scalable. Its a framework rather than a step by step guide to project management. It is also not prescriptive or industry specific so you can pick and choose which bits of the framework your project needs.

I work in the NHS and have managed mostly IT projects but am now currently managing a project to improve staff awareness and performance around data quality.

Prince2 not industry specific, no. It's just one week of pain and shouldn't be relied on, but for those who don't know project mgmt it is treated like some kind of magic 'stamp' and people ask for it in much the same way they insist on having a 'graduate' - ie fairly meaningless in practice (although you will pick up a few acronyms and a standardized 'way' of doing projects.

To get going work wise once you've got it you then need to register as a contractor with loads of agencies - going in as a contractor gets your foot in the door and you are far more likely to get a good perm role once you've built up a variety of experiences on a number of projects as a contractor. In the industries I work in (FS, IT and Blue Chip in and around London - all v large orgs) I'd say the job split for PMs is around 80% contract staff and 20% perm. Contract staff earn more but have zero job security

I am a PRINCE 2 practitioner - it is probably one of the better recognised courses. Like others I completed the foundation and practitioner in a whole week course, lucikly my company paid for it.

It is useful to have on your CV, and it is very worthwhile knowing the PRINCE terminoligy and methodology which other PMs use.

Thanks. Does anyone know any industries who value PRINCE2 that are not IT, FS etc? I've never worked in any of those fields (bit of an arty farty background), and therefore don't think I'm likely to.

I work in accounts and my compnay sent me on the foundation course, for a week. I passed the exam at the end. It honestly didn't teach me anyhting i didn't already know, which was a bit . but at least I passed. Trying to agree with poster that it is more acronym based and not actually particulalry helpful on a practical level, IYSWIM.

I have done PMP training (it's all common sense) - I have laughed in the face. Of my employers who tell me I need 8 years specific experience to get certification, explaining that I could be a doctor in 5!

I will look in to self-funding of prince2.

OP, have you specific area in mind?

'Project management' is a very vague term and there are no specific requirements or qualifications only a range of certificates such as PRINCE / 2.

For example working in IT is worlds apart from construction or manufacturing. Someone from an IT background would not survive for very long managing a construction project (and probably vice versa).

I think you would be better advised to go for a qualification or a certificate towards a particular career rather than just project management.

This is the problem Pendeen, to date I haven't worked in a field that really uses Project Managers. I've always worked in the arts, and suspect I'd be like a fish out of water in IT, finance etc. The sort of projects I'd like to be involved in would be things like Open House in London, Comic Relief, festivals etc.

I'm at a bit of a crossroads career-wise, and am trying to decide what to do next, I started another thread listing my skills and what I like in a job, and project management came up.

I've been a PM for over 12 years and don't have PRINCE2 but having looked at the course materials know it would teach me nothing.

I worked in FS and my organisations and a number of others are moving to a more Agile/Scrum methodology so experience in this area can be useful.

You can become Smcrum certified (again not worth the paper it's printed on) but at least it's on the CV.

Maybe Events Management is a better area to look at?

I agree with most of the answers above. PMP and PRINCE2 seem to be the most in-demand certs for PMs. I'd go with PRINCE2 Training, coz that's what has emerged as the standard PM degree in UK atleast.

I did one at the management centre in London. They specialise in not for profit organisations.

Hello. Prince2 Project Management courses are also available through elearning giving you 12 months to complete both the foundation and practitioner. At 580 pounds it's worth the money.