APM Blogs

You have to feel sorry for those poor Apprentices trying their hardest to be project managers under the scrutiny of Lord Sugar and all for the benefit of entertaining the viewing public.

Long ago a 16 year old version of myself told my dad that I was not going to go into “data processing” or become a programmer or follow the same technical path he did.

Last week I managed to read the seventh and final paper of the Association for Project Management’s (APM) excellent Projecting the Future thought leadership series, the first of which was published in June 2019.

Did you know that 40% of hiring managers report difficulty finding qualified project managers? Even though APM has seen a 20% rise in project managers over the years, 60% of project managers believe their job descriptions are inaccurate or incomplete.

Those new to project management often worry about which qualifications to seek; which will give them the best opportunity to develop their career or the widest choice of possible industries or the best credentials for working in international organisations, or whatever else is important to them in their careers.

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is: how do I get started as a new project manager when I have limited experience? Any seasoned PM will know that the ability to demonstrate relevant experience counts when applying for new roles and attending interviews.

I joined the APM mentoring scheme (see how you can get involved with mentoring on the APM website) from its inception in early 2022, as I wanted to give back to the APM and the profession — this was certainly one of the best and personally most fulfilling ways of doing so.

If I gave you £100 million right now, what would you do with it?  It’s a fun game to play, imagining how we might change our lives or even improving the world if we had absolutely no financial constraints.

“Books on change management don’t sell.

Knowing how to define and manage critical path is accepted as an essential skill for project managers.