PMI launches free online courses for project managers

The need for project managers is increasing across industries and organisations are investing more resources into projects and there are many free project management courses to fit your upskilling needs.

Hiring managers and recruiters recognise the importance of this specialisation as a skill in strategy level hires and the need for this skill is indispensable to the success of an organisation.

The Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading association for professionals in the project, programme, or portfolio management field reported that the project management workforce is expected to grow 33% by 2027.

This number translates to nearly 22 million new project management-oriented roles in seven project-oriented sectors. The Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027 report released by PMI also cautions against the risk created by a skills shortage in this field which is estimated to be nearly US$208 billion in GDP over the 10-year period in the 11 countries examined.

A new Anderson Economic Group (AEG) analysis commissioned by PMI also finds the project management profession will outperform the total job growth in the United States over the next decade.

The report also estimates that the United States alone, more than 60% of the 214,000 new jobs in this field will come from the management and professional services sector.

According to the report, the demand for roles in this specialisation will also stem from other industries, including manufacturing, finance and insurance, information services and publishing, construction, utilities, and oil and gas.

Is it necessary to get a certification?

Project managers who have accumulated significant experience and display the skills necessary can go on to become programme managers or portfolio managers in organisations.

Mid-career professionals have various options to choose from to gain the right skills and certifications in this field.

Dave Hatter, cybersecurity consultant for intrust-IT and the VP of Training and Certification for the PMI Southwest Ohio Chapter told Dice, “There are many; the best known include the PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), CompTIA’s Project+ and AXELOS’ PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments).”

Hatter added that many colleges and universities offer their own certificates in project management.

Certifications in this field are a popular option for individuals who aspire to level up in their careers through a promotion or raise.

Although project managers are not required to have certifications, Hatter said, “In the U.S., many require the PMP certification as table stakes. I do believe that anyone who pursues the PMP certification will learn useful, practical information that will make them a more valuable project manager.”

Free online courses in project management

Getting a project management certification does not need to cost a lot as there are free courses available online. These courses are mostly offered for free online with an option to pay for a certificate.

The University of Adelaide offers a free-to-enrol Introduction to Project Management online course. This course will be a good starting point if you need to manage projects without formal training in project management.

This is a great course for you to enrol in before if you are contemplating pursuing project management career pathways.

If you have prior experience and qualifications in project management and would like to obtain a more advanced certification from an international perspective, you can enrol yourself in a Diploma in Project Management course online for free.

This course addresses the knowledge, skills, and behaviours required to successfully manage projects that span organisations, national boundaries, and cultural differences. This course covers the crucial phases of the system development lifecycle, including analysis, planning, design, and evaluation, and then describes project management methodology in detail.

The Rochester Institute of Technology offers an International Project Management free-to-enrol online course.

The Project Management in Practice – Monitoring, Controlling, and Change Management is offered for free on Alison.

This course covers key principles and practices in project management where you will learn how to improve project performance by using project reviews.

The course will also help you develop critical project management negotiation skills, and promote personal and organisational project management growth.

At the end of this free course, you will become more effective in monitoring and controlling the performance of the projects you manage and develop the strategic competency to effectively audit a project.

Coursera also offers specialised project management courses that are free-to-enrol and come with an option to pay for a certification.