Like any technology professional, the education of a project manager only ends when they reach their retirement day.
In a constantly evolving IT industry, the best PMs never stop learning new techniques, technologies and management styles. In fact, an affinity for self-development is one of the most important skills for a project manager to posses.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers a robust collection of online courses suitable for any project manager’s continuing education. Here is a look at some of the more relevant topics worthy of your consideration. Remember, most forward-looking organizations provide tuition reimbursement to their employees who broaden their skill set; take advantage of this benefit.
The Complete Agile Project Manager
There’s no denying that Agile has become one of the standards for 21st century project management. Project managers need to be wellv ersed in Agile to qualify for the widest range of job opportunities in today’s marketplace. PMI’s course, The Complete Agile Project Manager offers a PM a full program to hone their skills on this important topic.
Featuring nine separate courses, this program covers Agile topics ranging from the essentials of the methodology to managing the expectations of stakeholders. It is aligned with the objectives of the Agile Certified Practitioner exam. Those who successfully finish the program earn 17.5 Professional Development Units (PDU) and 1.75 Continuing Education Units (CEU).
Project Management Fundamentals
This is a course for new project managers based on each Knowledge Area from the famous Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Everything from defining requirements to managing team members is included. Offering 24 PDUs and 2.4 CEUs, finishing the program also meets the education requirement for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam.
Leadership Essentials Power Pack
All the project management education in the world doesn’t make up for a lack of leadership skills. The Leadership Essentials Power Pack gives PMs a grounding in what it takes to lead technology teams in completing projects successfully. Topics include emotional intelligence, motivation and communicating a vision – skills needed by project managers on a daily basis.
This course provides 7 PDUs and 0.7 CEUs.
Peruse the rest of the courses provided by the PMI to see if any others pique your interest; the Six Sigma course looks especially interesting for those who work in the process improvement arena.
Are you looking for additional insights to help you improve your career?
If you need additional insights on improving your career as a project manager, talk to the experts at The Ceres Group. As one of the top technology staffing agencies in the Northeast, we also know the top organizations looking for PM talent. Contact us today!