Island Journal

Many professional certifications are based on industry experience. Some of the most well-known include Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) from APMP International, and Chartered Professional in Business Administration (CPA).

But they’re not your only options for project management certification. Many organizations offer tailored certs that ensure you have the skills relevant to their organization or industry. For example, industries such as construction, accounting, real estate, and government all have their own set of specific requirements. IT departments also require people with project management skills to manage specific projects like software.

What are the best project management certifications and online courses for 2023?

In this article, we share a list of the most popular programs of 2023 and make forecasts for 2024. All professionals in the field who have these documents are realized professionally and enjoy a great career.

BVOP Certified Project Manager (BVOPM)

BVOPM (Business Value-Oriented Project Manager) is an international certification for project managers. This certification course takes a total of three to six months. The online training material and practice tests are enough to prepare the candidates who can give the exam after completing the study period. For those who are looking for some practical experience as well as theoretical knowledge, BVOP offers professional on-site training along with its certification exams.

One needs to complete all the studies before applying for this examination at least one month before the scheduled date of testing and must have a valid email address to receive official announcements and information regarding it.

Through BVOP, anyone can become a proficient practitioner in the project management domain and build a successful career ahead in business and industry. Reference: “18 Best Project Management Certifications and Courses of 2023”, https://pm.mba/posts/best-project-management/

PRINCE2 Certification

The “PRojects In Controlled Environments (PRINCE2) is an approach to managing projects across industries. This certification can be obtained through the PRINCE2 organization or from any of their certified training partners.

The course will cover the nine processes described in the PRINCE2 manual, and once you have completed it you may take the exam.

Certified Project Director – CPD

The CPD certification is offered by the Project Management Institute to provide training for and promote competency in project directors. It’s worth pointing out that this is not a technical certification; it deals with more the strategic, organizational side of project management, as opposed to how to do tasks during the life cycle of a project.

The requirements for the CPD certification are that candidates must have five or more years of project management experience and pass the exam. This certification has benefits, but it is not as in-depth as other certifications on this list.

PMP – Project Management Professional

PMP is a professional certification program offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It provides market recognition to project managers, opens new doors for career growth, and allows one to develop his / her knowledge in the domains of managing projects.

The PMI offers two types of certification: The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) which is what you get if you pass the introductory level exam; and the Project Management Certification-Senior Level or PMP which focuses on more advanced project management concepts. This certification can serve as a stepping stone to leadership roles in your field as many companies prefer candidates who have already passed these exams before hiring them for any type of position within their organization.

The PMP is an internationally recognized qualification for project managers from around the globe. It is offered by the Project Management Institute, and those who pass this exam will be recognized as professionals with all the skills necessary to manage complex projects across a wide range of industries and sectors including finance, healthcare, retail, education, etc. Reference: “Top 40 Project Management certifications for 2021 and 2022”, https://scrumtime.org/top-project-management-certifications/

The PMP can be earned by using three different paths

It takes approximately four months to complete all the courses required for the exam, after which you will have to clear two separate exams.

The first one is an open-book examination, while the second requires that you perform specific tasks on a real-world project management case.

The Project Management Program (PMP) certification is a globally accepted and highly-regarded project management standard. It is conducted by the Project Management Institute, which also conducts other well-known certifications like the CAPM, CSPO, etc. The PMP focuses more on the skills of managing projects than on the technical skills required to complete those projects. That being said, there are some prerequisites for attempting this exam.

First off, you need to be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in your domain. You can get certified if you manage 80 hours of education credits from a program like this one from IMA Global or any other Certifying Body listed at this site.

CAPM – Certified Associate in Project Management

This certification is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), which is a generally recognized authority on project management certifications. The CAPM exam focuses on basic knowledge and skills of project management and has four domains: initiation, planning, execution, and control.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate their understanding of processes from each domain at all stages of the project lifecycle including planning, executing, controlling results, and closing out the project. This level of focus makes it great for new project managers just beginning the process of learning about projects. It’s also helpful if you have limited experience leading a team through a complex multi-phase process but want to learn more about this type of work.

The CAPM credential from PMI is one of the most widely recognized project management certificates. It is also required to earn the PMP certification. This course requires a minimum of 35 hours of project management education and can be taken through any number of different providers. Reference: Top 13 project management certifications for 2023, CIO.com

The Certified Professional in Project Management (CPM) is a professional certification offered by the International Association of Project Managers. Candidates can earn this certification by passing an exam, which has been the case since 2004.

In 2009, however, the CPM board made it possible for candidates to take the exam without first getting a certificate — and that’s when things got interesting. You might say they were about to get certified! At least, that’s what happened to more than 1,000 people who earned their project management certifications in 2010 after taking one of the specially designed sample or preparatory courses. The program also offers online study materials as well as testing centers where candidates can take CPM exams all over the world.

ITIL Foundation Certificate

IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is an information technology industry initiative aimed at helping businesses become more efficient by managing their IT services more effectively.

You may choose to take this course through your local university or you may choose to go with a private provider like Open University who offers this program completely online and for less than $100.

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

Microsoft has been in the business of providing project management certifications for many years with their MCITP, ranging from junior to senior level and even master level.

The certification applies to Windows-based operating systems, client and server-side applications, virtual environments, as well as cloud computing. If you are looking for a vendor-focused certification in project management then this is a great place to start your research.

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

This is one of the most popular certifications for Scrum project management. It is offered by the Scrum Alliance, and many reputable companies have been certified under this program including Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple.

This certification aims to ensure that organizations are practicing Scrum in the most effective way possible. The exam requires a minimum of 10 years of experience in project management, and though it is more generic than some other certifications, it focuses on core Scrum concepts.

CSM Certification helps software developers transition to becoming effective scrum masters or agile developers while learning how to work within the framework of scaled agile methodologies.

To achieve this goal, Scrum Alliance provides two levels of scrum master certifications: Scrum Master I and II Professional Certifications.

CompTIA Project+

This program had a refresh in 2015 that is based on industry standards and practices, which makes it much more appealing to project managers. It covers the role of a project manager in both IT and business environments.

This certification offers two tracks: one for IT project management (Project+ IT) or business project management (Project+ BP). It can be used by individuals at any level within their company who are managing projects. Reference: “The Best Project Management Courses for 2023 and 2024”, author: Marta Cooper, 2020, https://www.policymatters.net/best-project-management-courses/

Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP)

This certification requires that candidates possess at least five years of documented experience in software development or project management. It covers all agile methodologies, and it qualifies the candidate to use scrum masters and product owners as resources for Agile projects.

Professional Scrum Master (PSM)

This program is a fairly recent addition to the list of best Project Management certifications. The PSM certification focus on Scrum only, unlike the PSM I which also covered other Agile frameworks like Kanban.

It is a great choice for Scrum Masters who want to deepen their knowledge and improve their skills. It offers several courses and webinars, and a nice community where you can connect with other professional Scrum Masters.

Similar to the Product Owner Certification, it requires candidates to have at least five years of software development or project management experience.

Certified Database Administrator – Oracle Certification

If you’re interested in earning a database certification, then the Oracle DBA is one to consider. The training course offered by Oracle is pretty comprehensive and will provide candidates with hands-on experience with Oracle’s database products.

After completing the course, which can last up to four weeks depending on if any projects within the classroom need to be completed simultaneously, candidates should take an examination at a testing center near them.

The examination will take about two hours to complete and you must have a score of 75 percent or higher to pass. This certification is valid for three years, after which time candidates can return to the testing center to retake it. Candidates who earn this certification are also recognized by the Oracle partner community as Oracle professionals.

That’s great news, especially if your job depends on being certified with this product — but even those looking for new jobs might find that having one of these certifications under their belt gives them an edge over other applicants. It could certainly prove helpful when you’re interviewing for a position!

CPM-IAPM” Certification

The CPM-IAPM certification is offered by the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) International Association of Project Managers (IAPM).

Those who earn this certification are recognized as Certified professionals in the Management of Innovation and Projects. To do so, candidates must pass one exam: Examination Preparation Exam (EPE) Foundations of Project Management.

Then they can apply to take two other exams — these are for more advanced certifications and cover subjects like project risk management or financial management on projects. The EPE covers both theory and practical application, which people often find helpful when preparing for an APM certification. Without it, you’ll need to go through an online training program and earn a separate qualification. Reference: “Best Project Management Certifications for 2023 and 2024” by Shirley Parker – Agile Programming, ISSN 2652-5925, https://agileprogramming.org/projectmanagementcertification/

Why get certified in project management?

Why should I go through the trouble to get certified in project management? It has been a question on the minds of many would-be project managers for years.

The allure of certification is obvious: accreditation and validation by an independent body that someone has put in the effort to learn project management that will be useful at work and can be demonstrated to managers, peers, and stakeholders alike. But there are many reasons why getting certified is important. These include the following:
To prove one’s competence – especially when hiring or moving between organizations; To demonstrate to oneself a commitment to mastering a skill; To showcase knowledge as part of a resume or as part of job interview preparation so that candidates can use it as leverage.

What’s the project management certification cost?

The cost of the PMP exam or any certification program is an ongoing concern for applicants, and understandably so. ProjectManager.com notes that “the cost of a PMI credential can vary depending on whether you are earning your initial certification or if you are renewing a qualification.”

Renewal costs typically come in at $225 per year, while test-takers need to commit to more up-front money–$405 for the required exams – plus another $375 for the application fee. And we should note that these prices do not include training because training fees can be astronomical depending on where one studies.

What’s the salary of the project manager?

If you can’t squeeze a living wage from the qualification, then why bother? Well, according to the PMI website “the value of certification goes beyond salary.” It sounds like they are trying to justify the cost.

So what does it mean for your career? Is it worth it in terms of earning potential and job prospects? How much more are certified project managers paid than their uncertified counterparts, we wondered.

A certificate in project management is a great addition to your resume, and it can mean earning more money or getting promoted.
The salary of a project manager depends on the company’s size, his experience, the industries he works in (and what kind of projects he does), and where he resides.

What is BVOPDM – Business Value-Oriented Product Management?

BVOPDM is a methodology and practice designed to define business value-oriented product management. It focuses on the practical application of project management concepts and principles, skills, techniques, tools, laws, and guidelines in business products with an emphasis on the successful execution of projects (or sub-projects) that create measurable value for the organization.

The primary focus of BVOPDM is on providing project management professionals with the proper foundation which they can use as a guide to direct their actions during planning, executing, and controlling projects or parts thereof within organizations.

This is accomplished by understanding what project management methodologies are needed to achieve specific objectives while meeting stakeholder expectations (including cost estimates) across diverse environments (both technical and non-technical).

Is there a free project management certification?

Well, yes, but it’s not worth the paper that it’s printed on. There is no free project management certification program from a reputable source. Not only does one have to pay for the class, but they also have to pay for their exam or tests. Reference: https://pgov.org/projectmanagement/

It costs money to print up certificates of achievement and mail them out, which means someone has to be paid to do that work—and if you’re asking why should I pay this organization when there are a lot of other organizations offering something similar? Well…wouldn’t you like to know where your money is going? You could ask if the company providing the certificate would provide you with a breakdown of how your money was spent!

Can I work as a project manager without a diploma?

Well, of course, you can. Many project managers are self-taught, and plenty more have learned the ropes on the job. It’s not too tough to learn on your own how to work with stakeholders, agencies, teams, and sponsors through experience alone—I learned a ton from my early projects in food packaging design without formal training at all.

But there comes a time when working as a project manager professionally becomes much easier with certification.

There is no universally accepted form of certification for professional project managers – that would put anyone who was qualified out of a job! Instead, there are several respected institutions (PMI, IPMA, BVOP) that provide accreditation for project management education programs worldwide.