Project Management course(Questions)

obieone

I'm halfway through a PM cert. course, and hopefully will be going for a CAPM cert. before Jan. 1st.
Here's the problem:
I have neither an Associates or a Bachelors degree, so, REALISTICALLY, how likely am I to find work in this field.
For the past 16 years I've been doing comm./ ind. HVAC, and do have some mgmt. exp. but not much.

I'm taking this course because I am no longer (physically) capable of doing my job.

Am I wasting time and $$$?

TIA

Derf

Don't know anything about the course or the field of work, but is there some type of educational or licensure requirement to do what you will be doing? Every employer/customer just wants you to get the job done, they don't get hung up on the formal education aspect, unless it is a requirement to do what you do. Maybe go meet with some people already in the field, see what they have to say about it. Having said that, I personally believe education is never a "waste" of time or money. You will always learn something useful, whether for your career or just in general, in each and every class you take.

mrbiron

Have you worked with the same company over the course of the 16 years or have you bounced around? Have you talked with your current employer about leaving the field to take on a managerial opportunity? What have they suggested? Do you have the basic computer skills, Excel, Word, Outlook, and possibly an estimation software? If not, i'd consider a course in that.

No course is a waste of time. Being able to show that you are certified, in anything, is always a positive resume builder and shows the direction that you are heading in.

I spent the last 10 years being a "field super" for my company. Due to an unforeseen circumstance, i was transitioned to a PM with little to no prior knowledge. What has helped me is the "TEAM ENVIRONMENT" that my company has in spades. I've taken my lumps, but it's been a learning process...a process that my employer is vested in.

Get the cert. anyway and see what opportunities open up.
The course gives you a general idea. The knowledge is learned in practical.

Jimbo18

I can't tell you how much weight is given to CAPM versus a degree, but I was a Master Planner and Scheduler who came up through the ranks and have no degree. I was about to be laid off during a huge downsizing our company was forced into.

A friend who had already left the company and was working for a large consulting firm in planning, scheduling and logistics, told me to apply with them, but that I would need CPIM certification first (Certified in Production and Inventory Management). I asked about my lack of a degree and he said my experience and the certification were all I would need.

Not sure that answers your question, but my guess is that your experience will make more of a difference than lack of a degree once you have certification.

andrew82

The PMPs and CAPMs that I've worked with were largely at consulting firms, especially the Big 4. Those types of firms now actually require you to have a certification in order to merit a promotion.

Either way, I think it could help you open some doors that lack of experience or degree would have previously precluded. Given that the investment isn't a massive one in time or money, I don't see your opportunity cost as especially high either.

If I were you, I'd reach out to folks you know that have experience in the PM field to gather their thoughts. I'd also talk to employers who do the kind of work you'd be interested in to see what their thoughts on the CAPM are.

mhardy6647

FWIW, my ol' line of work ( biotech) still tends to hire and use PMs in their "business ops" and "operational excellence" organizations (as opposed to using contractors or consultants). I've always found 'em to be very useful in helping to keep complex, multifunctional programs on the rails (I, perhaps not surprisingly, was one of the forces that sometimes tended to pull things off the rails).

I actually arranged a two-day "PMP essentials" course for a group of project team leaders for
whom I was responsible, years ago at a (bio)pharma company with a pfunny name. We all got a quick indoctrination into the rudiments of project management in biotech -- but I still break out in a cold sweat when I see a Gantt Chart

westmassguy

I have an Associates, but it was my years as a PM in HVAC and Construction that got me ahead. Only one job actually asked for a copy of my degree, everything else was based on my resume, skillset, and word of mouth. A Certification certainly won't hurt, and could be the thing that puts you over the top, combined with your years in the field.

vmaxer

The course will certainly help if you are going to be a Project Manager. The company I work for requires anyone in the field to take the coures. Lots of companies use them. Some of our projects take well over a year to tool up and launch. Customers want detailed timelines. We use Microsoft Project software.

Good luck.

schwarcw

I have the PMI PMP certification. I highly recommend taking the test and getting this certification. I see PMPs working in lots of different fields. My son is a PMP working for a bank on major IT upgrades. YES! Go for it! This will help you.

obieone

Thanks for all the feedback folks.
As stated, I'm halfway through, so, pretty much "pot committed" as they say in poker.
I applied for a project coordinator job where I work, but lost out to another tech.
My company has 5 offices, and one designated PM for all the constructions jobs. Hopefully I can get some sort of apprenticeship with him?
As far as the Office software, that's something I'm also looking into.

Mikey081057

Take PMP Cert courses (try Pluralsight.com) and get a free version of Smartsheet. MS proj is ok but really gets expensive when you want to do project server to be able to share and update project info with your project team.

Smartsheet.com

Kurt300

obieone wrote: »

I'm halfway through a PM cert. course, and hopefully will be going for a CAPM cert. before Jan. 1st.
Here's the problem:
I have neither an Associates or a Bachelors degree, so, REALISTICALLY, how likely am I to find work in this field.
For the past 16 years I've been doing comm./ ind. HVAC, and do have some mgmt. exp. but not much.

I'm taking this course because I am no longer (physically) capable of doing my job.

Am I wasting time and $$$?

TIA

You are doing the right thing. I've got a PMP among others certs and degrees, but the certs and degrees are the icing and your experience and past results are the cake, in mid-career and later.

Still, I can't help saying that when you have completed your training, you will be powerful indeed, Obie Wan.

[Deleted User]

Getting older and trying to be responsible is way over-rated.

obieone

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Take PMP Cert courses (try Pluralsight.com) and get a free version of Smartsheet. MS proj is ok but really gets expensive when you want to do project server to be able to share and update project info with your project team.

Smartsheet.com

My instructor has turned us onto a couple of "free" programs, namely 'ProjectLibre' and 'X-MIND'
Obviously, you get what you pay for, but, IF I'm paying, then these will do, u.f.n.(until further notice)