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Getting Started With Online Project Management Courses...

The benefits of Project Management can be seen everywhere. Work in this sector can be very interesting and fulfilling, as you will discover if you explore the training routes available to enter the industry.

The role is excellent for those who have good spatial skills, and enjoy working through tasks. Additionally, people skills will stand a project manager in good stead as exacting projects need everyone's compliance.

...Delivering The Goods

Companies today want everything to come in on time, at the right quality and within the original budget. Shareholders want profits and customers want value and convenience. Unless production is managed with a fine toothcomb, that's not going to happen easily! Project Management is establishing itself not only as a professional career path, but also as a most effective way to control business.

You'll find a range of commercial colleges that provide Project Management training. You will learn skills that include preparing project plans; initiating projects; executing, monitoring, controlling and closing projects, cost estimations and planning and performing quality assurance.

Language

There is a language within Project Management that trainees need to get to grips with. Along with learning about the essential characteristics of each project, you'll need to get in tune with modern accepted wisdom.

There are many processes in project management, but as all projects seek to achieve the same goals you'll find a good deal of cross-over in the various training approaches.

A Recent Discipline?

As with many modern processes Project Management has early beginnings, but it's come a long way over the years. It was originally the responsibility of senior engineers and architects - think Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century and Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 19th century. Around a hundred years ago, several forerunners to current project management techniques were developed - namely 'The Principles of Scientific Management' by F W Taylor, 'Fayolism' by Henri Fayol and the 'Gantt Chart' by Henry Gantt. Fayol's five functions - namely planning, organising, commanding, co-ordinating and controlling have stood the test of time, though many have now replaced commanding and co-ordinating with leading.

Fast Forward To Recent Times

Prior to the nineteen fifties, projects in the United States were largely managed on an informal basis - probably with a Gantt Chart but generally with ad-hoc tools and techniques.

The Polaris missile project involved so many different aspects that a new management system had to be developed to handle it. Thus the PERT chart was developed to simplify the planning and scheduling of this massive project. Private enterprise quickly caught on to this and other mathematical techniques for managing projects. In 1956 the American Association of Cost Engineers was formed as technology for cost control was developed.

International Project Management Association (IPMA)

The International Project Management Association was formed in 1967. It brought together several PM associations from various different countries and now has members throughout the world. Members come from a number of business sectors, and have a broad competence in the profession.

The PMI

At the end of the sixties what's now the world's largest PM organisation was formed - the Project Management Institute. PMI publishes a guide to the 'Project Management Body of Knowledge' (known as the PMBOK Guide).

It provides the fundamentals of Project Management as they apply to a great cross-section of projects. As it recognises 42 processes that come within five process groups and nine knowledge areas of PM, you could benefit greatly from the knowledge it contains. Commercial courses have been designed to take students through all the aspects.

If you invest time and energy into this training, you will be ready for the respected PMI certifications, the prestigious PMP and CAPM qualifications. Employment experience alongside your studies is required.

PRINCE2 - PRojects IN Controlled Environments

In the UK, PRINCE2 is a very popular project management method, and there are many companies providing training programs in it.

The method can work with most project management techniques, but it predominantly describes product based planning, change control technique and quality review technique.

Students undergoing this training will learn how to manage projects within a clearly defined framework. PRINCE2 can be used as an invaluable diagnostic tool for project work, audits and troubleshooting. It's a checklist for success.

You'll find a number of other PM courses that will allow you to train for a successful career, or give you a good understanding of the principles. If this will be your first project management training, then make sure you choose one that's recognised commercially. Draw up a critical path now to work out the optimum career track for you.