How to Choose a Project Management Training Program

Professional project / program management education is a crucial step in furthering your career aspirations in the current times. However the increasing number of training providers and their increasing claims has the scope to create confusion in most minds. How do you evaluate the different training programs available today? Here are some pointers that you may find helpful.

First and foremost, it is important for you to evaluate why you wish to go for a training program and look for one that has the same objectives as you do. Are you looking for a tutorial that helps you clear a certification exam? Or are you interested in learning the right concepts and their practical application? The skills and concepts you learn in the program will need to be put in use on a regular basis. Hence, a program that helps you implement your knowledge and lessons on simulated and real projects are more effective in evaluation of how much you have actually learned from the program. Ask the provider about the workshop methodology, the goals of the program and check if they match yours; a fit between the two will avoid wastage of time, effort and money.


Who is the course instructor? Even the best of training material and copious question banks are unhelpful, even dangerous if not interpreted rightly. It is the instructor who can transform the bookish concepts into ideas that you can relate to and even apply. So ensure you get complete access to the trainer profile, his/her credentials and training experience. Are you convinced that the instructor has what it takes to explain the nuances of Project Management? Also important - is the instructor a full time associate of the training provider or a part time professional working elsewhere?

How long has the Training Provider been in business? What is their reputation? Their client base? The success rate of the participants who have attended the program? Do they provide support post training? Do they offer specific guarantee of some sort in case a participant does not clear the test? Do they have testimonials of past participants? Do they regularly participate in project management seminars and update their knowledge?

Do not be misled by freebies, easy discounts and low cost providers. These only divert your attention from what should be your main and only point of concern - the training delivery. Ensure that you have all the information concerning this and only then look at the additional benefits.

Finally remember that professional education is no easy job, nor is it cheap; it needs your complete active participation, be it time, effort or money. In today's world however, every small initiative is a project and so every individual is a project manager. Any compromise on time or money spent on the program that attempts to educate you in this vital discipline can not only mean a lost investment but also spell bad news for your professional career.