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Project Management Associations and Certifications

There are many Project Management associations and many of them offer a variety of Certifications. Most of the associations dedicated to promoting project management are country specific. Only PMI and IPMA have global presence (or at least in 40 countries)

1. Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) offers the below certifications.

• Project Team Member/Project Specialist
• Project Manager
• Project Director/Program Manager

http://www.aipm.com.au/html/regpm_pmo_portal.cfm

2. Project Management Association of Japan offers

• Project Management Specialist
• Project Management Registered
• Program Management Architect

http://www.pmaj.or.jp/ENG/index.htm

3. Association for Project Management (UK) offers the below:

• Introductory Certificate: for anyone looking to understand the principles of project management.
• APMP (IPMA Level D): for people with up to two years' project management experience.
• Practitioner Qualification (IPMA Level C): for anyone with more than three years of project management experience.
• Certificated Project Manager (IPMA Level B): for project managers with extensive experience in managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
• APM Project Risk Management Certificates: APM offers level one and level two certificates for project and program managers involved in project risk assessment in any way

http://www.apm.org.uk/page.asp?categoryID=2

They used to offer Certificates like "Certified International Project Manager", but I don’t know what happened to them.

4. International Project Management Association (IPMA) is really a federation of National associations. They offer four levels of certificates

• Certified Projects Director (IPMA Level A): means that the person is able to direct an important portfolio or program
• Certified Senior Project Manager (IPMA Level B): means that the person is able to manage a complex project
• Certified Project Manager (IPMA Level C): means that the person is able to lead a project with limited complexity
• Certified Project Management Associate (IPMA Level D): means that the person is able to apply project management knowledge when he participates in a project in any capacity

http://www.ipma.ch/certification/Pages/Model.aspx

The Indian association is www.pma-india.org . asapm (American Society for the Advancement of Project Management) is the US Member Affiliate of IPMA. Its website is http://www.asapm.org/

5. Project Management Institute (PMI). This has global presence, but centralized operations. They offer 3 certificates:

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Program Management Professional (PgMP)

http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/Our-Credentials.aspx

There are two types of PM certifications:

1. Knowledge based
1. Competency based

For the Knowledge based, you basically sit for an exam and pass the test. In the case of competency case, you have to write lengthy stories about your project or program experience that’ll be evaluated by assessors.

CAPM of PMI, Level D of IPMA are examples for knowledge based. Levels A and B of IPMA are examples for competency based.

This Guide from PM today magazine lists some prominent ones. Here's another Comparison of PMI, AIPM, AACE, IPMA and PRINCE2 Certifications Dated Dec 2005

Interesting Note: Is project management a profession, discipline, or some thing else. Here's a Ph.D thesis on if Project Management is a Profession. Note: The thesis is a PPT with lots of charts. If you aren't the research kind of guy, you wont fully understand it.

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