A growing number of commercial and public sector organisations expect their project and programme managers to have relevant qualifications. So what's in it for you?

One of our clients, a global bank, recently announced it was implementing its policy to only accept people for change projects who held relevant qualifications. In their case this meant PRINCE for project managers and MSP for Programme Managers. This is just one example of a trend that dovetails neatly with our own plans to embed qualifications as a standard requirement for our Associates. Of course, a certificate doesn't guarantee a good project manager, nor does a lack of qualifications suggest a poor one. But, at the very least, qualifications provide baseline recognition of skills and ability, so reinforcing the holder's credibility.

When you look at these courses, they begin to seem reassuring familiar to anyone working in the field. For instance, PRINCE2 is a process-based approach that provides a customisable and scaleable way to manage all types of projects; the entire process is divided into manageable chunks, each one defined by key inputs and outputs plus specific objectives and activities. These are things project managers do instinctively but not always in the most effective ways. Similarly, MSP covers methods for managing programmes through a structured framework to defining and implementing change, one that covers the organisation, processes, outputs and ways of thinking that focus on results.

While nothing beats hands-on experience, it is definitely worth being able to 'tick the boxes' when it comes to qualifications, whether they form part of a formal hiring policy or not. After all, if two project or programme managers with similar skills and experience are competing for a post but only one has professional qualifications, who do you think has the greater chance of success?