Discussion
I'm looking at doing a project management qualification. I work in engineering around projects but I'm not a project manager. This will be my first project management qualification.
So I'm debating whether to do APM PFQ (foundation qualification), or the PMQ (project managers qualification).
What I'd like to know is will I gain much from doing the foundation course first? Is it possible to go straight to the PMQ? I gather this would also depend on experience, but I have no way of knowing that.
So I'm debating whether to do APM PFQ (foundation qualification), or the PMQ (project managers qualification).
What I'd like to know is will I gain much from doing the foundation course first? Is it possible to go straight to the PMQ? I gather this would also depend on experience, but I have no way of knowing that.
APM do sell the course study notes https://www.apm.org.uk/book-shop/apm-project-manag...
For the relatively small investment involved it might be worth getting them and reviewing - after that you can much better gauge your chances of success at PMQ.
For the relatively small investment involved it might be worth getting them and reviewing - after that you can much better gauge your chances of success at PMQ.
I’m in a similar position to you OP, an experienced engineer working on the fringes of project management but not normally wholly responsible for the overall project/program management. Through my current employer I did the PFQ course a couple of years ago, and I would say it is a good introductory level if you plan primarily to remain as an engineer. If you want to go ‘all in’ as a project manager then look at the more in depth course.
Thanks. The intention is to become a project manager. Would you recommend doing the PFQ first, or is the PMQ manageable assuming I was someone with little to no knowledge?
I've ordered the study notes so we'll see how that goes.
I was also wondering, is it worth paying for the 5 day virtual course?
The virtual course is instructor led via webcam and takes 5 days.
The online course says 30-40 hours of study, and I imagine it would be a slideshow or something along those lines. You get 12 months access and email support.
The virtual course is £1500+vat, and the online course is £600+vat.
I've ordered the study notes so we'll see how that goes.
I was also wondering, is it worth paying for the 5 day virtual course?
The virtual course is instructor led via webcam and takes 5 days.
The online course says 30-40 hours of study, and I imagine it would be a slideshow or something along those lines. You get 12 months access and email support.
The virtual course is £1500+vat, and the online course is £600+vat.
Edited by fiju on Wednesday 13th January 22:52
I sat the PMQ course in November through QA. It was delivered virtually over two weeks, with a morning of lessons each day.
I’m not a PM in the traditional sense but I touch on it through my role (IT/comms engineer/manager), so I was coming into it ‘fresh’ so to speak. I found it hard going due to the virtual style of learning, as well as the amount of material and terminology there is to take on, especially when QA only provided a study guide and not the full APM BoK.
I think that the knack to these types of courses is to forget what you do in your day job and to not try to apply the course material to what you do in reality. You have to absorb yourself in the APM ‘world’ and just accept that this is the way APM does things. If you have done any of the ITIL courses you’ll hopefully get what I’m on about.
Despite my difficulty in taking the information on, as well as complete disinterest at times, I passed the exam. Im moving into a new role in a couple of weeks so I’ll rescan the material prior to that.
If you are able to commit to evening study/revision then I don’t see why you shouldn’t go for the PMQ course. Probably worth finding out which version you’ll be doing and buying the book of knowledge for some pre-reading/reference.
Drop me a pm and I’ll send over the learning materials I have.
I’m not a PM in the traditional sense but I touch on it through my role (IT/comms engineer/manager), so I was coming into it ‘fresh’ so to speak. I found it hard going due to the virtual style of learning, as well as the amount of material and terminology there is to take on, especially when QA only provided a study guide and not the full APM BoK.
I think that the knack to these types of courses is to forget what you do in your day job and to not try to apply the course material to what you do in reality. You have to absorb yourself in the APM ‘world’ and just accept that this is the way APM does things. If you have done any of the ITIL courses you’ll hopefully get what I’m on about.
Despite my difficulty in taking the information on, as well as complete disinterest at times, I passed the exam. Im moving into a new role in a couple of weeks so I’ll rescan the material prior to that.
If you are able to commit to evening study/revision then I don’t see why you shouldn’t go for the PMQ course. Probably worth finding out which version you’ll be doing and buying the book of knowledge for some pre-reading/reference.
Drop me a pm and I’ll send over the learning materials I have.
I have been involved and working around project based work since 1994 and as a Project Manager since 2005 and experience and attitude are what counts and will assist you the most.
My last "training" contact with APM was quite a while ago and I did the PMP qualification (a forerunner of and generally equivalent to PMQ).
Work paid for three of us to join a four day residential course of about 15 people. On the fifth day we took the examination papers.
My approach was to tune out the world and immerse myself in what I was being taught; from memory we did 20 discrete modules of study from the APM BoK over the four long days of learning and on the fifth day took an examination paper with 15 questions of which you had to select 10 to answer.
Echo what ben_h said; some of it I've not used since, but some of it is pure gold.
Irrespective your own opinion, don't fight what they teach, just accept and assimilate and regurgitate as necessary when you do the exam: To get the qualification you have to learn to sing their song; but what is important is that you do get the qualification, after that you can follow your own compass / industry norm.
I would offer to share the training materials I was given but I just looked and realised it was 15 years ago, so they are doubtless very out of date now (and I am feeling old).
My last "training" contact with APM was quite a while ago and I did the PMP qualification (a forerunner of and generally equivalent to PMQ).
Work paid for three of us to join a four day residential course of about 15 people. On the fifth day we took the examination papers.
My approach was to tune out the world and immerse myself in what I was being taught; from memory we did 20 discrete modules of study from the APM BoK over the four long days of learning and on the fifth day took an examination paper with 15 questions of which you had to select 10 to answer.
Echo what ben_h said; some of it I've not used since, but some of it is pure gold.
Irrespective your own opinion, don't fight what they teach, just accept and assimilate and regurgitate as necessary when you do the exam: To get the qualification you have to learn to sing their song; but what is important is that you do get the qualification, after that you can follow your own compass / industry norm.
I would offer to share the training materials I was given but I just looked and realised it was 15 years ago, so they are doubtless very out of date now (and I am feeling old).
I deliver these courses and generally find those without PM experience struggle with the PMQ if they haven’t done the PFQ first - that said, many still go straight into PMQ and pass.
I love delivering PMQ but it’s hard going as a virtual course and much prefer classroom delivery.
The syllabus has just been updated and as such so have all the study guides and the whole update is fantastic.
PFQ is an hour, multi choice exam very much on principles and definitions and the PMQ a 3 hour written exam which is more application and expanded understanding - don’t be phased by this!
I’ll see if I can get a PH discount code if a couple of people are interested - I have a PFQ and PMQ late Feb.
I love delivering PMQ but it’s hard going as a virtual course and much prefer classroom delivery.
The syllabus has just been updated and as such so have all the study guides and the whole update is fantastic.
PFQ is an hour, multi choice exam very much on principles and definitions and the PMQ a 3 hour written exam which is more application and expanded understanding - don’t be phased by this!
I’ll see if I can get a PH discount code if a couple of people are interested - I have a PFQ and PMQ late Feb.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff