Project management is, arguably, the most universally practical area of business. It involves problem-solving, efficiency, and long- and short-term planning. Every industrial sector needs project management techniques that fit its unique challenges; the good news is that there is considerable overlap between business fields: ultimately, the same general approaches tend to work over and over. A good project manager is familiar with different approaches and can assess which approach (or combination thereof) is ideal for the tasks or goals at hand. Project management tends to overlap with technology; this makes sense, because business systems and data are frequently dealt with on a computer network. Therefore, IT services certification training is relevant to project management. Even better, you can combine regular project management and IT training to make yourself a “double threat.” Those who follow through with project management certification training courses (and proceed to get certification[s]) are at a tremendous advantage in the job field, whether it is getting a great first job or getting a much-deserved (and, possibly, much-needed) promotion or raise.
Project Management Subfields
The fundamental (but still quite extensive) project management certification is Project Management Professional (PMP®); it demonstrates that you have the skills to organize projects in all sectors. However, it is also possible to get the sub-level Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®). Alternatively, you can obtain specialized certification in Six Sigma, a process improvement approach successfully utilized by Motorola and GE. Six Sigma involves a technique known as DMAIC – define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. However, DMAIC can also be used with other management approaches, too. Six Sigma expertise is divided into 4 progressively higher levels (called “belts”) of certification – yellow, green, black, and, finally, red belts.
Quality management is an important subarea of project management: it is the plans, techniques, and checking mechanisms needed to consistently get a final product of a certain quality. Projects in Controlled Environments, version 2 (PRINCE2®) is a management approach that emphasizes quality management. Achieving certification in any of these areas or levels is a valuable achievement that is almost certain to pay off quickly.
Software development has its own project management approaches. Traditionally used is the Waterfall Model, which views the software development process as a sequence of steps that flow downward to the finish. However, now this approach is being replaced by the interestingly named Agile and Scrum – two approaches that work together to create an optimal plan for software development. Agile and Scrum together describe an iterative development approach, in which pieces of invention or work are completed, assessed, and discussed before being repeated with improvement. These techniques manage to maintain order while also making the process flexible and keeping the developers open to discovery.
Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) is a large project management area, in and of itself. There are many sub-specializations in which you can get certification: cybersecurity, systems auditing, ethical hacking, and more. IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL®) certification demonstrates your ability to apply IT to the needs of a business. Cisco Certification is a broad area of certification that makes you an expert in the application of Cisco services – hardware, software, and/or networking services from the Cisco Systems company; the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is a sub-level of Cisco certification. Being a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) gives you the expertise to give IT systems comprehensive checkups to assess security and efficiency. The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) qualifies you for work in the buzzing field of cybersecurity.
Software and IT networking play an increasingly important role in business. Also, there is a conceptual overlap between the software development process and the progression towards other types of goals. Therefore, having certification in any of these areas may open doors you would not have thought of; project management certification training courses in any of these areas will give you a distinguishing degree of knowledge in the most practical areas of business.
Project Management: The Ultimate Marketable Skill
Project management is not only helpful for business and tech developers; it is also helpful to non-profits and individual projects. Non-profits of all sizes need to accomplish goals in a way that is efficient and reliable, just as large multi-billion-dollar corporations do. Also, taking a basic project management course, just to get a sense of what it is, could give an individual valuable pointers to achieve personal goals; you learn how to work in conjunction with others and to have a planned workflow of procedure, feedback, and improvement. Fortunately, it is not hard to find just such a foundational course online for free.
In a similar way, project management is the perfect first step to upskilling (bringing to a higher skill level) a group. If everyone takes the same project management course, then everyone is more likely to be on the same page when it comes to planning and following a work procedure. This ultimately cuts down on disagreements, delays, and periods of wasted or inefficient work. It also is likely to reduce the amount of time needed to explain or re-explain procedures.
As mentioned earlier, general project management skills can be applied to almost any industry, and there is overlap between general project management, software development, and IT management: Many of the same principles apply to all of these. Project management might look like a small subfield of business. However, it is more accurately regarded as a broadly covering layer – the planning layer – that is woven into every other area of business and development. Without management, other kinds of business prowess and know-how cannot bear fruit.
Self-Paced, Online Courses Make a Difference
Master of Project Academy offers an extensive selection of project management certification training courses. The site has been used by such illustrious companies as Volvo and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Along with courses, there are other educational features, such as one-on-one coaching and interview simulation. The course content can be purchased for an individual or for a business, in month, year, or lifetime subscriptions. There are also bundles of interrelated courses. (As you would expect, longer subscriptions, company purchases, and bundles are generally at a relative discount.)
Master of Project Academy is perfect for ambitious students and full-time employees, because it is completely online and self-paced. Another helpful feature is the 24-7 student assistance and the availability of student forums. Essentially, you can use the site to go to class, ask questions, discuss issues, and complete assignments and tests, just as a traditional student would. The vast majority of students who begin Master of Project Academy courses end up successfully finishing them and obtaining their intended certification.
The site’s most comprehensive course is the PMP® Certification Training. Along with 35 hours of lecture material, the course includes PMP® certification exam practice questions, a sample exam, and other test prep material. Almost 100% of the students who take this course gain certification, so it is a great value. Arguably, this is the first course you should take if you want to go into any sort of project management field. PMP® certification puts you in demand – regardless of the industry or project type.
For software development projects, a great course is Agile Scrum Certification Training, a course that covers everything about the Agile software development and its Scrum framework that you need to pass the certification exam.
Free CCNA Training is a no-cost, short introductory course that gives the basics of Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) training. The course covers Cisco network basics, approaches to allow diverse systems to communicate, network hierarchies and mechanisms, and local area networks (LANs). This is a great way to see whether Cisco certification is right for you and to prepare for more advanced courses the site offers as part of its Cisco CCNA Certification Training Bundle.
The Value of Always Improving
We live in a world full of opportunity – but so much of the time, for so many people, it is difficult to find and embrace it: sometimes, the job someone is qualified to do ceases to exist; a new job is needed but no one is qualified to do it. Technology is making our lives better, but it is also changing the job market so that many people are not sure what to do. A student gets an excellent college education, but unfortunately, all of the perspective and insight they gained from their time on a college campus might not translate into a lucrative, rewarding job – at some point, their intellectual escape from the truly practical catches up with them.
All of these unfortunate phenomena are reasons to keep improving. Improvement does not have to mean big steps; it can be a sort of evolution. Online learning and certification training courses are a great way to add practicality to an otherwise purely academic college program. Such courses keep full-time workers and parents from feeling stuck and unable to advance. All in all, taking an online project management course is a great consideration for almost everyone. You will likely find that it greatly widens your comfort zone and gives you a new sense of personal agency.