Project Management & Prince2
Discussion
Thank you for your honesty NorthDave. You are the first that I have read did not enjoy his PM role. I'm beginning to enjoy the fixing things bit as a hobby again so not sure where I stand.
MadDad: excellent information for me to think about there. Maybe going in as a junior will be the better option with a P2 qualification to give me better chance of progression.
Sidewindow: I have found the same and it is beginning to frustrate. No thread Hijack here, all of this is relevant information.
Replies greatly anticipated.
MadDad: excellent information for me to think about there. Maybe going in as a junior will be the better option with a P2 qualification to give me better chance of progression.
Sidewindow: I have found the same and it is beginning to frustrate. No thread Hijack here, all of this is relevant information.
Replies greatly anticipated.
TotalControl said:
SW: APMIC looks interesting too.
I found it to be a good generic introduction to project management as a subject, and a solid base to build up knowledge from. I moved straight onto PRINCE2 afterwards which confused me a little due to conflicting terminology etc. APMIC is definitely more straightforward than PRINCE2 which seems clunky and admin heavy..TotalControl said:
I think I'll concentrate on the Prince2 for the time being. The cheapest I could find the APMIC was £600 with classroom training.
For APMIC I suggest studying via e-learning as it's quite straightforward, I used Training Bytesize which cost about £450 (www.trainingbytesize.com) including the online exam.Edited by TotalControl on Friday 28th November 13:05
If you want to get into the business side of IT, you may wish to consider going down the Business Analysis route rather than PM. Just as lucrative (if not more so) than project management.
If you stick with PM, then your first few contracts would be better spent in a PMO role, where you would be able to learn how the progress reporting side works without the pressures a project manager faces. The contract PMs where I work have get a very hard time from the business management if they aren't up to snuff.
If you stick with PM, then your first few contracts would be better spent in a PMO role, where you would be able to learn how the progress reporting side works without the pressures a project manager faces. The contract PMs where I work have get a very hard time from the business management if they aren't up to snuff.
Well, P2 has been booked now for the 19th. I'm doing the weekend course which is split over 2 weekends. The one after will be held on the 10th of January. First half focuses on foundation and the second half on the practitioner.
Edit - after the Foundation, I'll look to apply for PMO roles. At least then I'll have something to back me up (hopefully when I pass)
Edit - after the Foundation, I'll look to apply for PMO roles. At least then I'll have something to back me up (hopefully when I pass)
Edited by TotalControl on Monday 1st December 15:02
TotalControl said:
Well, P2 has been booked now for the 19th. I'm doing the weekend course which is split over 2 weekends. The one after will be held on the 10th of January. First half focuses on foundation and the second half on the practitioner.
Edit - after the Foundation, I'll look to apply for PMO roles. At least then I'll have something to back me up (hopefully when I pass)
As long as you get a decent instructor you'll be fine, good luck.Edit - after the Foundation, I'll look to apply for PMO roles. At least then I'll have something to back me up (hopefully when I pass)
Edited by TotalControl on Monday 1st December 15:02
TotalControl said:
Thank you M2.
If anyone could guide me on how much studying in hours is required for the foundation and practitioner I'd be grateful?
Most things I've read say 35 hours for Foundation and Practitioner training and exam prep.If anyone could guide me on how much studying in hours is required for the foundation and practitioner I'd be grateful?
YMMV, as you're coming into this fairly cold.
I've been doing various PM-type roles for about 17/18 years, and have managed service integration, engineering design, new government service implementation, and have recently started running my own show helping others get better at PM. As others have said, experience seems to trump all certs, but getting experience can be a bit tricky.
I started by just helping various PMs, taking on some of their tasks in addition to my own workload, and genuinely being interested. That got me to be one of the Environment Agency's national PMs, running projects under P2, and held me in good stead when I baled from the UK at the age of 30. I've spent the last 9 years working for one of the larger multinational engineering designers, where I volunteered to help train the PMs - I enjoy coaching and mentoring. This led to me helping write the company's internal 2-day training course, based on PMBOK, that all internal PMs and PDs must attend, and which is now the company's global course. The company has around 90,000 employees, so I'm quite chuffed really.
Before anyone points it out, yes training PMs is different to being a PM, but its bloody hard to have the credibility as a trainer if you don't have the track record as a PM.
So, in short, to get started find out who the PMs are and what you can do to help them.
I started by just helping various PMs, taking on some of their tasks in addition to my own workload, and genuinely being interested. That got me to be one of the Environment Agency's national PMs, running projects under P2, and held me in good stead when I baled from the UK at the age of 30. I've spent the last 9 years working for one of the larger multinational engineering designers, where I volunteered to help train the PMs - I enjoy coaching and mentoring. This led to me helping write the company's internal 2-day training course, based on PMBOK, that all internal PMs and PDs must attend, and which is now the company's global course. The company has around 90,000 employees, so I'm quite chuffed really.
Before anyone points it out, yes training PMs is different to being a PM, but its bloody hard to have the credibility as a trainer if you don't have the track record as a PM.
So, in short, to get started find out who the PMs are and what you can do to help them.
There has been one Junior PM role forwarded to me yesterday to consider. I think I will apply for the role on Sunday after I have completed the first half of the course and received my result for the foundation exam.
Are there any tips that can be provided in regards to short courses and the best way to take in everything being bombarded at you?
Are there any tips that can be provided in regards to short courses and the best way to take in everything being bombarded at you?
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