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Project Management – A Changing Landscape
Current IssuePrevious IssuesQ1 2010 Nov 2009 -Jan 2010 May-Jun 2009
Mar-Apr 2009 |
Project Management – A Changing LandscapeQ2 2010 Print Not unlike the IT landscape in the early 90’s, the world of project management is changing. In the last ten years the job has become more complex and finally project managers are getting the recognition some say is long overdue. Once an accidental profession - the job function you filled because someone needed to do it - today’s project managers are experienced practitioners with influence at the highest level within organisations. Project Managers are now in the driving seat. This newly found status has seen an emergence of project management professionals who are highly qualified both with university degrees and specialised credentials offered by professional associations worldwide. Now endorsed by thousands of global organizations, project management has been accepted by academia. Two decades ago, only a handful of colleges and universities in North America offered a degree program and courses in the discipline. Today, there are approximately 330 degree programs (bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral) in project management according to statistics from the Project Management Institute. Today organizations are looking for project managers with both experience and industry recognised qualifications in project management. The pivotal boost for the project management field has been its acceptance by major industrial powers throughout the world. Importantly the Chinese Central Government has established PMP, the ‘Project Management Professional’ certification, as the standard qualification for project managers in China. This increased number of qualified PMs is just the boost the industry needs to get attention on the world stage. Another critical change in the Project Management field is the growth of the number of project management associations. The value-added element of accreditation by the Project Management Institute (PMI) has become a critical tool for project managers wishing to advance their careers. All these changes mean greater emphasis on project management as a valuable all-purpose tool that embraces efficiency, performance, quality and cost-efficiency. Also pointing to the continuing need for PMs is an aging work force. With baby boomers retiring, thousands of new positions will open up in the next decade. If these job slots are not filled government output and efficiency will be seriously impacted. Dimension Data Learning Solutions (DDLS) has seen the increased demand from individuals looking to enhance their careers with PMP and the certification for less experienced project managers, the CAPM. Corporate Australia is relying on its project managers to enhance productivity and ensure that investment in change is managed effectively and that is just the beginning. Clearly the entire project management landscape is changing rapidly.
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