Explore a career in project management
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Discover how one of our former students Mo secured a £10,000 pay rise after completing his project management training.
Project management job profile
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently. It is one of the most diverse and interchangeable roles to be in. It’s truly global, with opportunities in every industry and the demand is growing. Organisations will hire project managers to devise a strategic plan for projects and their resource. They’ll ensure projects tie into business goals whilst making a profit.
What is the salary of a project manager?
According to the APM Industry Report 2021 – the average salary of a project professional is £47,500 per annum. With 49% of project managers earning more than £50,000 per year. Energy is currently the highest average salary sector realising an average salary of £60,000 per annum. Starting salaries in project management can range from £25,000 to 30,000, with senior project management positions commanding in excess of £90,000 per annum.
Working hours:
The size and complexity of a project will determine the working hours of a project manager – however, your schedule will also be dependent upon the particular stage or phase of the project you are managing, your efficiency as a project manager will also impact your working hours and schedule. Being able to effectively delegate to your team will not only reduce your hours spent working, but will also enable more time for progress monitoring.
Employers:
Project management is industry neutral and is required and applied across most organisational types within both private and public sector. This means that project management certifications can secure a role in the following industry sectors:
Facilities
Aerospace and defence
Information technology
Automation
Systems manufacturing
Design, procurement and construction
New product development
Education and training
Risk management
Environment management
Urban development
Financial services
Project manager skills
Project managers need great people skills and often need to be adaptable team players who can also lead to get the best out of everyone in a project team (without being overbearing). A project manager will also need to be highly organised and have a natural flair for communication with a highly focused attention to detail.
As a project manager, you will be expected to apply knowledge, skills and relevant methodologies effectively and efficiently to a project. You are responsible for driving the success of a project whilst complying with the specific project goals and targets.
Project manager responsibilities
As a project manager, you will be responsible for planning work, and assigning tasks to the relevant team members, establishing and managing project risks and ensuring quality standards are met. Motivating teams members is also crucial for effective and timely delivery. Coordination of work by team members is critical and completing the work on time and on budget is ultimately the north star metric. Changes within projects will also need to be well managed as required while making sure that the project itself delivers the expected outcomes and benefits.
Qualifications needed for project management
Getting certified in project management by a globally recognised awarding body will help you start, change, or progress your career as a project professional.
Recommended courses:
Discover the value of getting certified in project management
Meet the experts
Patrick Aylmer, Founder of Learning People discusses the value of certifications and how they can benefit your career in project management.
Learn more about student Sam's experience studying project management
Sam has had a strong career in resource management and decided to get certified in PRINCE2® Foundation, Practitioner and Agile to strengthen her skills. She’s now able to formally apply project management principals to her job role, and approach all projects with confidence due to the certifications she’s now gained.
