The Benefits of Professional Certification

Is it your organization required you to hold international professional certification? Have you ever considered increasing your value by holding the various certifications? Generally speaking, professional certification has a significant importance in the project management (PM) industry, especially for projects where large amounts of cash (or risks) are involved. Certification refers to the recognition of the skills, knowledge, and/or competence of a practitioner working in the field. Currently, in Indonesia in some industries, there is a regulation that a project manager has to hold the international certification. Besides IT and Telecommunication industry that already encouraged project managers to hold professional certification, Oil and Gas industry and Construction Industry in particular for companies that are running EPC (Engineering Procurement Construction) projects, tends to have a project manager that hold professional certification in project management.

Project management certifications come in a variety of essences. Three of the most internationally recognized are:

•         Project Management Professional (PMP) that is the most popular certification in Indonesia that is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Starting to be popular in North-America, it is gaining more and more recognition around the globe. 
•           PRINCE2: stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments, and is extensively used by the UK Government. It is also widely recognized and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. The PRINCE2 method is in the public domain, and offers non-proprietorial best practice guidance on project management. 
•          IPMA : stands for the International Project Management Association, a leading not-for-profit project management association based in Europe, and is one of the thought leaders in project, program, and portfolio performance competence. The IPMA certification system offers benefits both for the organization and the individual project manager. 

What are the benefits of obtaining a Project Management Certification? Here are some benefits that you can gain once you are certified:

1-    Competitive Advantage and Opens Doors to New Clients

Having the certification is a great asset to your resume. It sets you apart and differentiates you from others in your field and other job applicants when competing for a promotion or new position. This competitive advantage is especially beneficial in today’s extremely competitive and tough economic marketplace. According to the PMI, project management jobs have also proven to be more resistant to the up & downs of the global economy. The number of certified project managers is increasing year over year with membership in the Project Management Institute (PMI) reaching nearly 583,806 in 2013. As these numbers continue to rise so do the number of companies who recognize the value of working with certified professionals. Having a certification from the PMI, or other type of project management certification often makes the difference in whether or not a prospective client is willing to meet with you. It can also be an influential factor in a client deciding whether or not to hire you over another consultant or freelancer.

2-    Expertise

Certifications provide a solid foundation. The information and knowledge gained from the coursework and case studies provides you with the most up-to-date industry knowledge and technical strategies from which to help guide and support you in your projects and allow you manage all aspects and risks more effectively.

3-    Increased Earning

The time and energy you invest in becoming certified will financially pay you back many times over with higher paychecks. According to PMI’s Project Management annual salary surveys, project managers with certification tend to earn thousands of dollars per year more than their project manager counterparts who have not obtained their certification.

4-    Offers International Recognition

If you work with international clients or companies who have a global presence, a PMI certification is now recognized as meeting international standards and requirements. In early 2007, the PMI was the first project management association in the world to earn ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation for its Project Management Professional (PMP) accreditation program from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The ISO was launched in 2002 but is now recognized and endorsed by more than 85 countries and ISO is considered an important benchmark in the international business community. Hiring PMP-certified consultants is now especially beneficial to global organizations because they can reference the ISO 17024 certification.

5-    Correcting Bad Habits

Learning updated Knowledge Areas and techniques will help correct any bad habits you may have picked up over the years working in a non-structured environment and increase your competencies, especially for those working in organizations which have not focused their efforts on having a PMO in the past. You will become a more valuable employee and be seen as a leader within your organization. It will also allow you a great opportunity to establish the groundwork to implement a more sophisticated project management-working environment within your organization.

6-    Credibility

Obtaining a Project Manager Professional (PMP) certification requires that you meet specific, stringent guidelines that measure your experience, education and professional knowledge. In addition to taking a test, you must also have three to five years of experience (depending on your educational background) as a project manager and have accumulated 4,500 to 7,500 hours leading and managing projects. Certified professionals also agree to abide by an industry-accepted code of ethics and professional conduct. Becoming PMP certified is not simple, but the designation represents a high-level of professionalism and experience, which immediately boosts your credibility as consultant.

There are more and more government organizations around the world expecting their projects to be managed by professional project managers who have a certification from a recognized institution. Certification demonstrates your commitment to a high level of professionalism, your dedication to quality project management standards, and a commitment to continued learning. These outstanding merits aid in boosting your credibility and prestige within your organization, with existing clients, and become great assets when bidding on new prospective projects.

Visit our website www.avenew-indonesia.com for the information about project management certification