CareersOpportunities.co.uk

Perfecting Careers With Prince 2 Project Management...

All businesses need to Project Manage their procedures. A career in this profession will provide you with opportunities to really make a difference to an organisation's bottom line. It appeals to people who are numerate and logical, and who have a good technical aptitude. Also, PM requires a good deal of interaction with other departments and organisations, so there is a need for a clear and unambiguous exchange of ideas.

...On Time, On Budget

Industry and commerce has a constant need to improve on their quality objectives, whilst keeping price and time to a minimum. Large scale projects can involve a complex mix of time lines, tasks, people and organisations. Project Management is establishing itself not only as a professional career path, but also as a most effective way to control business.

There are various levels of qualifications and training, some of which require no prior knowledge or experience in industry. Depending on the level of training you take, you will learn about initiating, managing, and maintaining small to large-scale projects that can be implemented in all areas of industry.

Basic Concepts

There is a language within Project Management that trainees need to get to grips with. It's vital to get on the right wavelength with the terms and ways of thinking, and with the skills and tools used in the profession today. Whichever training and certification you choose to take, you'll find similar principles are adhered to despite the different methods utilised.

A Long And Interesting History...

Project Management really isn't the young profession you might think it is - we can actually trace its roots back for millennia! It could be said to go as far back as Vitruvius (thought by some to be the world's first known engineer) in the first century BC.

Around a hundred years ago, several forerunners to current project management techniques were developed - namely 'The Principles of Scientific Management' by F W Taylor, 'Fayolism' by Henri Fayol and the 'Gantt Chart' by Henry Gantt. Fayol's five functions - namely planning, organising, commanding, co-ordinating and controlling have stood the test of time, though many have now replaced commanding and co-ordinating with leading.

Fast Forward To Recent Times

You could begin the story of modern planning project management in America in the 1950's, but of course it hadn't yet really got into the human attributes of motivation and leadership. New methods had to be developed to deal with the complexities of building the Polaris Missile submarine programme. The PERT technique, developed by Booz-Allen & Hamilton was the answer. Along with later developments this led to mathematical techniques being used to find the critical path through a project. Now known as AACE International, the American Association of Cost Engineers was formed by early practitioners in 1956.

IMPA

Under the original name 'International Management Systems Association', the renamed International Project Management Association was established in the sixties. It was an amalgamation of several national Project Management associations, and now boasts worldwide membership. Members come from a number of business sectors, and have a broad competence in the profession.

The PMI

Two years after the IPMA was formed, the PMI (Project Management Institute) was founded in America. The 'Project Management Body of Knowledge' from PMI is now an internationally recognised standard in the industry. It endeavours to provide standard fundamentals of PM that are applicable in the majority of cases. Any student of project management should understand the processes and terminology that are featured in this guide. Commercial courses have been designed to take students through all the aspects. They will prepare you for some of the most the industry-respected qualifications, which are known as PMP (the Project Management Professional) and CAPM ( the Certified Associate of Project Management).

PRojects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE2)

Another widely used project management model which originated in the UK is PRINCE2. Various commercial training providers offer in-depth courses. It's a widely used flexible PM method that navigates you through all the essentials for running a successful project. It's a process-based approach for project management providing an easily tailored and scalable method.

Checks and balances are in place with the PRINCE2 method for co-ordinating all activities and participants. It's product focus clarifies to all what and when a project will deliver.

There are other project management methods and training schemes that you might find interesting, depending on the knowledge you currently have. Look for training that handles both the leadership and personnel skills as well as the mathematical and logistical elements. Shop around on the internet to find the ideal training for you.