If you’re looking to enter the project management industry, give yourself a competitive edge by pursuing a formal qualification (or a few). According to Labour Market Insights, plenty of workers currently hold a Vocation Education and Training (VET) qualification, which typically focus on more practical, job-ready skills to help launch your career for entry-level job opportunities.

With the field offering a wide range of certifications in various project management methodologies, having a few of these under your belt can also help you stand out in the job market. They not only show employers your knowledge of general industry skills – but that of specific frameworks; letting companies who use these methodologies know that you speak a common language. AIICT’s Certified Project Management Professional program currently offers such certifications, provided by global IT leaders APMG International and SCRUMStudy.

With technology continuously changing the face of project management, it also helps to keep updated on the latest software and digital tools used in the field.

To further your professional development, aspiring project managers are also recommended to join an association. Industry bodies such as the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI) offer plenty of opportunities to network, access industry resources, and bolster your industry credentials via membership.

AIICT’s project management program will delve into frameworks of PRINCE2, AgilePM, and SCRUM – methodologies widely used throughout the industry, particularly among IT-related projects. Verifying your skills in these areas can help bolster your expertise for the job market.

Additionally, you’ll learn general project management skills including:

• Project planning

• Process management

• Budget management

• Risk management

• Documentation and reporting

• Stakeholder and vendor management

• Project management automation

Project management is the entire process of planning, developing, and delivering a product or service. Its results are often constrained to a specific budget and timescale, with which project managers attempt to optimise throughout the project lifespan. They also regularly liaise with stakeholders as well as team members, ensuring all expectations and standards are being met.

ICT project managers, in particular, focus on technology-related projects (i.e. development of new software or IT systems), ensuring these initiatives are rolled out according to business needs and compliance standards.

The project management cycle typically consists of five stages:

Initiating, in which key project elements (i.e. goals, tasks, and stakeholders) are identified.

Planning, during which the scope, time, human resources, risk, and costs are defined, and a roadmap for the project is developed.

Execution, in which managers begin directing the necessary tasks of the project, overseeing quality and communications.

Monitoring, in which managers attempt to oversee and control the given timescale, costs, scope, quality, etc. of a project.

Closing, during which all phases and project procurements are concluded. Documentation and reports may follow.

Successful project managers possess both a balance of technical and interpersonal skills.

They require the business savviness to plan and implement effective strategies, taking legislative, economic, and cultural factors into account. Familiarity with basic business areas such as contract, budget, risk, and resource management are critical. Depending on their industry, a project manager must also have expertise in their subject matter; for example, those working in ICT should have at least a general knowledge of software development, IT infrastructure, and tech-related policies.

With plenty of project management tasks now performed digitally, these professionals must also familiarise themselves with the latest tech tools and software used in the industry.

However, having a the right soft skills is also crucial to success in this field. The best project managers are not only excellent leaders, they are also highly adaptable – embracing new methods, practices, and general change. They value diversity in values, ideas, and backgrounds, using this to strengthen the project management process. Finally, project managers are often empathetic, open communicators, helping them motivate their teams as necessary and build productive work relationships.