Project management certifications help a tremendous amount of people reach their professional goals. Over 745,000 people hold a Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate. In spite of the global popularity of PMP, and the predicted growth of the project management industry, some still view certificates as unnecessary. Their doubts are reasonable to a certain extent. After all, why would someone get certified in project management when it might already be their job? However, this blog will explain why a PMP certificate is ideal for those with high goals for their career.
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Project management skills are in higher demand than ever
The exponential growth of the project management industry shows no signs of slowing. In the 2013 Project Management Institute (PMI) report, Project Management Between 2010 + 2020, they predict 15.7 million new project management roles by 2020. Countries set to have a particularly high need for project managers include Brazil, China, India and the United Arab Emirates. The report also states that this demand “is not matched by availability of resources with relevant project management skills.” With much more vacancies than suitable candidates, a PMP certification could soon make all the difference.
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Becoming PMP certified will get you a higher salary
There are many reasons PMP certificate holders have higher salaries. Firstly, it shows that candidates have the requisite practical skills for high-level positions, such as management and strategic planning. It also proves they have soft skills such as communication and the ability to delegate. PMP holders also show a keen enthusiasm for the profession, and a commitment to advance through the ranks of an organization. According to PMI’s Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey – Ninth Edition (2015), project managers in the United States find that becoming PMP certified boosts their salary up to 22%. In South Africa, salaries increase up to 47% and up to 42% in India. In short, becoming PMP certified makes you an asset to your organization, and you will be compensated accordingly.
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A PMP certification opens up valuable networking opportunities
With a PMP certification, you will join a global community of like-minded individuals. These hundreds of thousands of certified professionals all share your desire to promote best practice. That means they’re likely to share insight and otherwise help you reach your goals. People in varying levels of seniority will see you as someone who shares their values. PMI organises a variety of valuable networking events. For instance, the PMO Symposium in Houston, Texas, is running from the 5th – 8th November 2017. There are several other high-profile networking events that fall outside of PMI. Read more, for example, about the Dubai International Project Management Forum in our previous blog post.
Hopefully these 3 reasons show there has never been a better time to become PMP certified. For practicing project managers with high-demand workloads, see our globally accredited . You can become PMP certified after just 35-40 study hours, which you can complete online or offline with the help of our ILX Player App. You may be an aspiring project management professional without the requisite work experience to become PMP certified. For you, we also offer a Certified Associate in Project Management training. If you have any questions about our project management training, you can get in touch with us by visiting our contact page.