Project Management
Project managers are responsible for the planning, management, coordination and financial control of a project.
Project managers ensure that a project is completed on time and within budget, that the project's objectives are met and that everyone else is doing their job properly. Projects are usually separate to usual day-to-day business activities and require a group of people to work together to achieve a set of specific objectives. Project managers oversee the project to ensure the desired result is achieved, the most efficient resources are used and the different interests involved are satisfied.
Typical responsibilities include:
agreeing project objectives
representing the client's or organisation's interests
providing advice on the management of projects
organising the various professional people working on a project
carrying out risk assessment
making sure that all the aims of the project are met
making sure the quality standards are met
using IT or other systems to keep track of people and progress
recruiting specialists and sub-contractors
monitoring sub-contractors to ensure guidelines are maintained
overseeing the accounting, costing and billing
reporting to the client or senior stakeholders on progress
evaluating the success of the project against its benchmarking and sharing lessons or best practice with other organisations or project managers.
Taken from Total Jobs 2024
Qualifications
There are routes into the career for experienced professionals, graduates and school leavers alike.
University :
You can get into project management with a degree in any subject. However, studying towards a foundation degree, HND or degree in business or project management will provide practical knowledge about the commercial aspects of projects.
Postgraduate study in project management will increase your understanding but is not a pre-requisite to employment. Search for postgraduate courses in project management.
Degrees accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM) are listed on their website.
Many employers run project management graduate schemes, in which graduates start out as an ‘assistant project manager’ or a ‘graduate project manager’ in order to learn the ropes of project management. Whether you require a specific degree will vary according to the industry, employer and specific graduate scheme: for example, some engineering and technology organisations will require STEM subjects but many organisations will accept applications from all degree disciplines.
Apprenticeships:
Organisations – particularly in the construction, engineering and manufacturing industries – offer higher or degree apprenticeships in project management. Entry requirements vary, but typically include a minimum of number of GCSEs (or equivalent) and a minimum number of UCAS points. Other organisations offer apprenticeships in various business-related roles (such as supply chain) that could eventually lead to a project management job.
For ideas on employers who offer these click here to look through sectors:
https://sites.google.com/blackpoolsixth.ac.uk/futures/list-of-potential-opportunities-by-sector
Employers
A project management function, if not an actual job title, can be found in most organisations across virtually all industries. However, project management roles can be found most commonly in:
technology companies
construction and built environment companies
architect practices
retailers
engineering companies
manufacturers
public sector organisations.
Taken from Total Jobs 2021
For ideas on employers who offer these click here to look through sectors:
https://sites.google.com/blackpoolsixth.ac.uk/futures/list-of-potential-opportunities-by-sector
Career Videos
Project Management Graduate Programme
National Apprenticeship Week 2021 - Level 6 Chartered Manager Apprenticeship at WOLFFKRAN
Project Management Apprenticeship