Use Your PMP® Certification To Prepare for Program and Portfolio Management

Project Management is a dynamic and diverse field that can provide career opportunities across industries and even the globe. The international governing body Project Management Institute (PMI) closely monitors the requirements for achieving the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification to ensure standards are met no matter where the project manager is working. Yet, earning your PMP certification is just one component in a robust project management career that you can develop to reflect your professional interests.

On this page:

• The difference between project, program, and portfolio
• Earning project certifications to prepare for program management
• Leveraging your PMP certification for PMI program management certification
• Project management training prepares you for program management

Know The Difference: Project, Program, and Portfolio

To effectively plan your Project Management career, you need to know the different scopes of project work and how they relate to each other. You need that information to know what type of work you are managing now, and to know how to guide your own development towards increased responsibilities.

At the core, Project is the foundation level as projects feed into both Programs and Portfolios. You must master all aspects of Project Management before you can successfully realize career changes to a Program or Portfolio Manager role.

Earn Project Certifications to Prepare for Program Management

The PMI’s certification options can be a bit overwhelming if you are newer to the field or unsure where to start. Each certification has a different focus. Fortunately, you can build upon each type of certification as you grow your skills and increase your professional expertise. Start your training journey with Project Management Fundamentals to build a comfort with the concepts, terms, and best practices of the profession. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® Certification Training may meet your immediate goals as a recognized accreditation without the professional experience hour requirements of other certifications.

Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification is critical and is a must-have for any project manager seeking the best career opportunities. You can add the PMI-Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) certification and/or the PMI-Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) certification to your credentials. Agile Project Management is ideal for those in software or IT environments and is growing in popularity in other areas that need an iterative approach.

Leverage Your PMP Certification For PMI Program Management Certification

Gaining the PMP certification not only enhances your professional standing, but the process of earning it prepares you for other professional certifications. If you are already familiar with the PMI’s certification process, for the PMP certification for example, then you will know what to expect in preparing for the Program and Portfolio certifications:

• Completing test prep and bootcamps
• Tracking relevant professional hours for certification application/s
• Understanding how testing builds on both theory and practice

Project Management Training Prepares You For Program Management

Program Management encompasses oversight of a group of projects managed collectively towards a shared strategy. With your PMP certification and additional project management certifications, you will have the required knowledge for applying best practices to each project even as you guide them towards a shared goal within a program.

The more you know about each methodology and specialty in project management, the more your resume will stand out for opportunities in larger-scale efforts including bigger projects, programs, and portfolios.

Author profile

Megan Bell

Project Manager & Writer at Project Management Academy

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