What are your project management training options?

As project-based work becomes the norm for businesses seeking digital transformation, it's becoming vital for staff to expand their skillset with formal project management training.

Even if the projects don't seem as if they'll be a huge part of what your company's about at the moment, it will become an essential part of everyday working life.

It's likely that if you are preparing for project-based work, you'd have appointed project managers to deal with the day-to-day undertakings of new

What is project management training?

Project management training seeks to offer individuals the skills they need to understand the principles of project management. Usually, foundation courses will teach the basics so those involved can follow the project's progress and understand the stages required in any project a business is undertaking.

However, if someone is leading - or is heavily involved in a project - they will need to complete more advanced certifications to ensure they can manage teams to success.

Project Management training is available across the entire spectrum of project management methodologies, including DevOps, PRINCE3, Lean, Agile and the more traditional Waterfall approach. Before deciding which project management training is best for your organisation, it's important to ascertain which type of project management methodology suits your project best.

Why everyone should undertake project management training

If a project is to run smoothly, it's important everyone in an organisation knows the stages of a project and how the different pieces to the puzzle interconnect. Whether teams are dealing with BAU tasks while the project happens in the background or if employees are working on the project directly, it's likely parts of their everyday life will cross over.

Additionally, projects tend to creep outside just the direct project team. For example, management will need to be aware of what's happening in the entire organisation, HR will need to keep on top of what's happening with either consultants drafted in to help on a short-term basis, the finance team will likely be involved in costs associated with transformation and even end-users will need to keep tabs on the progress if they're eagerly awaiting the arrival of software the project team is developing.

Another reason to ensure everyone has been trained up to at least foundation standards will ensure your organisation is prepared for changes in future. If the company needs to make quick changes, at least anyone will have the basic knowledge of project management so they can help get the project off the ground if you don't have time to appoint project-specific staff.

How to choose a training partner

Like any specialist training, you'll need appoint a company to help you train your staff the skills they need to help project run smoothly. Although many companies claim to offer all-in-one project management training, you should choose a company that specialises in the type of project management methodology you're planning to use - or are already using - in your business.

For example, find a PRINCE2 specialist if that's the route you want to go down, or a DevOps-based training programme run by a company that specialises in that specific skillset. Otherwise, there's the potential for too much confusion between teams.

The best place to find a business that can help you teach your teams the skills they need is by using recommendations from official project management bodies such as Scrum, Prince2 or the DevOps Institute.

You can also seek recommendations from others in the industry or talk to your existing training provider to find out if they offer what you require and if they don't ask their advice.

How much does project management training cost?

The cost of project management training will vary according to the level required in your company and the detail you need. For example, a foundation course in PRINCE2 costs from 315+VAT for one person, while the practitioner course will cost another 315+VAT after the foundation has been completed.

An online-only DevOps course will cost around 600, which includes online classes as well as the exam, while a face-to-face course will cost a lot more, but you'll have the added bonus of being able to contact the tutor whenever you need support.

It's important to research into different options to ensure any project management training will result in knowledgeable and trained staff, ready to kick your project off in a successful way.