Top 5 Project Management Certifications To Get In 2020

#1 Project Management Professional -PMP® 

#2 Certified Associate Project Manager - CAPM®

#3 PRINCE2®  (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) -  Foundation

#4 PRINCE2® (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) - Practitioner

#5 PRINCE2® (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) - Agile

Modern business evolutions have led to rapid changes in the approaches and execution of projects. Therefore, trends and timeliness prove to be critical factors for the success of project management and this includes project management techniques as well.

The conventional methodology is making way for agile to play a big role in how projects are led and managed. There is no taking away traditional project management methodology but tweaking with agile makes it a popular and powerful move.

2019 witnessed the surge in agile methodologies but practices like PMP and PRINCE2 continued to hold ground. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), it is estimated that there will be a demand for 87.7 million project managers by 2027, There will be an acute crunch for project managers given the talent gap, which is grim. The opportunities ahead are plenty with the survey report stating nearly 2.2 million roles will have to be filled each year. Where are the resources to bridge the gap? One of the reasons cited for the talent gap is the retirement of project managers opening up the “requirement for skilled project managers”. You can be one among the many to close the gap.

Let's look at the top 5 project management certifications for 2020 that will help you to become the “project professional” that hiring managers are scouting as top talent.

1. Project Management Professional (PMP)®

Project Management Professional (PMP) is one of the most recognized and sought-after certifications with a global following and universal demand. Considered to be the benchmark in project management, PMP (Project Management Professional) is a ‘must’ for Project Managers to prove their professional worth to present employer and prospective clients.

Target Audience for PMP

• Project Manager
• Project Coordinators,
• Supervisor for PMO
• Team Manager
• Team Leader

Salary

• The PMI’s Earning Power Salary Survey- 10 edition stated PMP-certified professionals earn 23% more than those without a PMP certification.
• PMP certification from an organization perspective team managers to beneficial. The PMP-certified managers are competent to complete projects on time, and budget thus meeting organizational goals.
• PMP equips and empowers professionals to lead and manage complex and high performing projects.
• PMP is one of the highest paying certifications with a payscale up to $113,766/year.

2. CAPM®

Certified Associate Project Manager (CAPM) certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) is a great career move for those professionals who lack the required experience and prerequisite but aspire to become PMP certified.

CAPM certification prepares the practitioners who are starting a career or less experienced project managers, to lead and manage complex projects and demonstrate a commitment to the profession.

PMI’s PMBOK (Product Management Body of Knowledge) Guide is the main reference material for CAPM certification preparation. CAPM certified professional can apply the knowledge and skills gained on-the-job to enhance project management proficiency and competency.       

The target audience for CAPM

• New project managers
• Team members
• Project associates and executives
• Professional aspiring to start a career in project management.

Salary                                                                            

According to ZipRecruiter,

The average annual salary of CAPM Certified professionals is $91,250/year

3. PRINCE2® Foundation

PRINCE2 stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE2). Developed by Axelos, it is a process-based approach for project management that is widely used in the United Kingdom and European countries and gaining popularity across the globe. PRINCE2 benefits organizations through controllable use of resources, and manage risks effectively.  PRINCE2 has its project management methodology. PRINCE2 is one of the best qualifications to build a career in Project Management.

• PRINCE2 Foundation is the basic level of certification.
• The PRINCE2 method is introduced in the PRINCE2 Foundation Level. The PRINCE2 Foundation certification establishes your credentials in the knowledge and understanding of the PRINCE2 method.
• The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification will impart knowledge about the PRINCE2 principles, themes, and processes, and terminology and when qualified you will be able to act as an informed member of a project management team using the PRINCE2 methodology within a project environment supporting PRINCE2.
• The PRINCE2 Foundation certification endorses your credibility to engage as an informed team member to work on projects in an environment supporting PRINCE2.
• PRINCE2 Foundation is the prerequisite for PRINCE2 Practitioner examination.

Eligibility

Basic understanding about Project Management is preferred but as such, there is no formal prerequisite for the PRINCE2 Foundation qualification. 

Target Audience

PRINCE2 Foundation certification is recommended for current and aspiring project managers. It is applicable for:

• Team Managers
• Project Board members
• Project Support
• Operation Managers
• Professionals who manage projects.

PRINCE2® Foundation Exam

• The exam will be conducted in a multiple-choice questions format
• There will be 60 questions per paper
• The pass mark is 55%. You need to score 33 marks required (out of 60 available)
• The exam will be for one hour's (60 minutes)
• It will be a Closed book session.

4. PRINCE2® Practitioner:

• The Practitioner certification validates your knowledge and understanding of PRINCE2  concepts and principles. The Practitioner certification assesses your capability in applying and tailoring the PRINCE2 project management method in different project environments and scenarios.
• The PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification will enable you to apply PRINCE2 to the leading and managing projects within an environment supporting PRINCE2.
• According to “PayScale”, the highest average annual salary for a PRINCE2 Practitioner professional can go up to ~USD 100,000

Eligibility

To take the PRINCE2 Practitioner examination you must provide proof of having passed one of the following:

• PRINCE2 Foundation (or higher)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)*
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)*
• IPMA Level A® (Certified Projects Director)
• IPMA Level B® (Certified Senior Project Manager)
• IPMA Level C® (Certified Project Manager)
• IPMA Level D® (Certified Project Management Associate).

Target Audience

This certification is best suitable for project managers, professionals involved with managing projects and aspiring project managers. It is also applicable for:

• Team Managers
• Project Board members
• Project Support
• Operation Managers

PRINCE2® Practitioner exam

The PRINCE2 Practitioner exam is as follows:

• The exam duration will be for  Two-and-a-half hours – 2.5 hours (150 minutes)
• It is an objective-based exam
• It will be a 68 multiple-choice questionnaire
• The Pass mark is 55%. 38 correct answers or more out of  68 are required.
• It will be an open book exam. The official copy of Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2® 2017 Edition will be allowed.

Salary

According to payscale,  the salary of a PRINCE2® Practitioner ranges from $97,000 per year.

5. PRINCE2® Agile

PRINCE2 agile is a unification of PRINCE2 and agile.

PRINCE2  focuses on the governance aspect of project management but the delivery aspect is not covered in-depth. PRINCE2 Agile certification will help you understand and expedite the delivery of  PRINCE2 projects using agile methods.

PRINCE2 Agile is about using the recognized framework of PRINCE2 and rendering it scalable and more flexible. Being agile, the projects can shift in speed or change direction during development, still retaining the best practices and manage to maximize the returns on investment (ROI).

PRINCE2 Agile certification will teach the core concepts about different agile delivery techniques like Scrum, Kanban, Lean Start-up and PRINCE2.

The PRINCE2 Agile qualification will empower you to demonstrate your ability in applying and tailoring key agile concepts to PRINCE2 projects.

According to the AXELOS PPM Benchmark report, 2019, 84% PRINCE2 agile certified professionals 84% increased their job efficiency, while 79% credited the certification to have made them more satisfied in the workplace and over half say it’s directly increased their salary.

Target Audience

PRINCE2 Agile is best suited for,

• Professionals responsible for delivering in an agile environment
• Project Managers
• Project Support staff

5.1 PRINCE2® Agile Foundation Certification

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for taking the PRINCE2 Agile Foundation certification.

Exam Format

• The exam will be Objective testing format
• It will be a multiple-choice paper
• The duration will be an hour
• The pass mark is 55%
• It will be a Closed book exam.

5.2 PRINCE2® Agile Practitioner Certification

Target Audience

• Project Manager
• Program staff
• Project Support staff
• Professionals who work within a project environment.
• Professionals integrating project management with product delivery.
• Professionals are responsible for projects using agile delivery approaches.

Eligibility

You can take the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner certificate if you hold any of the following certifications:

• PRINCE2® Foundation (or higher)
• PRINCE2 Agile® Foundation
• Project Management Professional® (PMP)*
• Certified Associate in Project Management® (CAPM)*
• IPMA Levels A, B, C and D® (Certified Projects Director).

*'PMP' and 'CAPM' are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI).

Examination Format

• It will be an Objective testing format
• There will be 50 questions each worth one mark
• You need to score 30 marks or more required to pass out of 50 questions
• The pass mark is 60% pass
• The duration of the exam will be Two-and-a-half hours’ (150 minutes)
• It will be an Open book exam. Only the official printed hard copy of the PRINCE2 Agile® Guidance is allowed.

Salary

The salary of agile project managers is around $90,000/year  in the United States.

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