How did you get into Project Management?
As a lead engineer on projects my role encompassed many of the attributes required from a project manager. It has been a natural progression to pass on the engineering to other engineers and graduates with my role focusing fully on the management of the project.
Are you please able to provide a short summary of your background and Project Management experience?
I started my career as a trainee civil and structural engineering technician at 17 years old and gained experience through work, later moving onto completing an engineering degree from home. My working role progressed naturally from design to management of the projects that I was the lead engineer for. As the industry developed and moved on so did I, embarking on further learning and accreditation in NEC3 and NEC4 contract management leading onto my current role as a Project Manager. I have been the lead engineer / Project Manager on various small to medium Infrastructure projects across the UK and as far afield as the Falkland Islands.
How did you hear about the APM?
After completion of my PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification I was discussing my next steps with a colleague from another consultancy regarding Project Management and he suggested I look into gaining membership with the APM.
Why did you decide to undertake the APM Project Professional Qualification?
As my career path is shifting from design to management, I wanted to learn more about how to effectively manage a team and streamline my workload.
How relevant to your project experience did you find the content of the programme?
It is just over a year since I passed the PMQ and even though I have only recently completed the PPQ I have used the tools and techniques learned in each module as I have been working through the course. The techniques for managing difficult situations and managing stakeholders have been particularly useful and I will continue to develop these techniques into my working role.
Which element of the programme did you find the most beneficial?
Almost definitely the Professionalism and Managing others module. Communication is key to effective project management.
How did undertaking the APM PPQ fit in with your work schedule?
I was able to do all of my studying in evenings and weekends then on the day of the exams I would take a day’s holidays or use TOIL.
How long did it take you to complete the qualification? On average, how many hours did you spend on it per week?
I booked onto the 1st edition PPQ course in August 2019 and completed my fourth and final exam in December 2020. On Average I would have spent around 6 to 8 hours per week either studying course material or revising. I always managed to take time off for holidays abroad or Christmas.
Did you feel supported whilst working through the online PPQ content?
The course content was very clear and easy to find. I only ever had a couple of queries and these were answered promptly.
How will your new qualification benefit you going forward?
As I have mentioned, the coursework helped me in my day to day job from the first module. In terms of the qualification, the PPQ is a direct route to full membership with the APM and the qualification will also provide me with a route to becoming a Chartered Project Professional (Chpp)
How likely would you be to recommend 20/20 to a colleague/friend?
20/20 course material was very clear and concise, the staff I dealt with were always pleasant and happy to help in a prompt manner. I would, and have, fully recommended others wishing to embark on Project Management qualifications to use 20/20.
