The Role of the Project Manager

A project manager is a vital asset for any business. Simply put, he or she has responsibility for planning, executing, and finishing a project. However, things are often a lot more complicated, and that is where a professionally trained project manager can really do their best work. A project manager will keep track of expenses already incurred and will plan ahead for unexpected ones. He or she will be able to keep the teams focused on the tasks at hand, thereby cutting down on wasted time and materials. Most importantly, they will be able to keep the team members, the company, and any shareholders happy and involved. While many project managers are invited to come work for a company and oversee a specific task, others find that they can be hired as a permanent staff member. With projects constantly being undertaken in most major businesses, it makes sense to have a full-time project manager as part of the company.

Importance of Project Management Training

However, how do project managers complete all of these tasks and ensure that they are successful? A well-trained project manager will have several different qualifications as well as further training in their chosen field. These qualifications are extremely important things for any project manager to have. One of the most well-known qualifications is the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential, which is offered by different organizations through the Project Management Institute. This certification is held by hundreds of thousands of people across the world. Other certifications include the Program Management Professional (PgMP) credential as well as the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP). In addition, different countries have different qualifications that project managers can train for. In the United Kingdom, the Office of Government Commerce offers the PRINCE2 certification, which provides training in the methodology of project management. What all of these qualifications share in common is that they train applicants to focus on the following aspects of project management:

• Project Initiation
• Project Planning
• Project Execution
• Project Monitoring
• Project Closure

There are of course various sub-categories of project management, such as risk management or scheduling, but project managers can succeed by mastering the skills necessary to perform well in these five main areas. In addition, industry experience will give them the practical skills they need to deal with projects going off course or over budget, as well as dealing with team members.

If you are considering furthering your career in project management, then you would benefit greatly from taking some of the courses offered by Parallel Project Training. Our unique Parallel Learning System combines various educational approaches to ensure that our students achieve high levels of success in their project management careers. Students can learn on their own through podcasts, study guides, or e-learning. They can also meet with supervisors face-to-face for any help they might need. Our course leaders are trained and certified product managers with extensive industry experience. We also offer tailored workshops and training for both individuals and corporate groups. Parallel Project Training also offers training and testing for several different project management qualifications, including APM Fundamentals Qualifications, APM PFQ, APM PMQ, (previously known as the APMP qualification) and PMP Certification. If you are ready to take your project management career to the next level, contact Parallel Project Training today and start making yourself a vital asset to any business.