Project Management: the skillset all industries are seeking

Project management is consistently ranked as the most desirable skillset by organization leaders, SAIT’s experts tell you why.

You may not realize it, but we all manage projects in our daily lives.

Tasks like planning a vacation, fundraising for a cause, coordinating team sports or even hosting holiday dinners all involve project management skills. In any situation where you work towards a goal and make a detailed plan to achieve it, you’re managing a project — but have you ever considered it as a career?

Project management is an in-demand position across a variety of sectors from energy to business, and employers are actively hiring dedicated talent who can deliver quality projects on time and on budget. As the world continues to adapt to a post-pandemic work environment, those pursuing this career path need the most up-to-date knowledge to succeed.

Designed in partnership with the Project Management Institute (PMI), Continuing Education and Professional Studies’ newly updated Project Management Certificate of Achievement gives you the industry-informed training you need to lead projects of all shapes and sizes.

The updated pathway includes six core courses with the hours to complete reduced to only 107 hours. Students no longer need to complete electives, allowing them to start applying knowledge in their roles much faster than before.

According to a report by PMI (Job Growth & Talent Gap Report: 2017 – 2027), nearly 90,000 new project managers will be hired in Canada alone by 2027. The same report shows that on a global level, employers will need to fill 87.7 million project manager roles across eleven countries.

Cindy Kennedy and Neil Sanderson are both course instructors for the project management program and each bring over 30 years of industry experience across a variety of sectors. They played a key role in the new course updates and say it’s a great career with rewarding opportunities.

“We see a variety of people in this course and, overall, learners are looking for career growth. They’re really hoping to progress into a leadership role or a more advanced position in their profession,” says Kennedy.

“Salaries are also really strong. Those getting into coordinator and junior positions can expect to start in the 60 to 70k range, but that's going to grow over $100,000 a year for intermediate experience,” explains Sanderson. “Consulting project managers that are leading large teams can even see over $200,000 a year, depending on the industry.”

Based on the seventh edition of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), the updated program is shaped by current industry trends and focuses on a new, broader approach rather than the predictive process featured in the sixth edition.

“Our approach allows learners to not only understand concepts but work with others to practice those concepts so they can apply these skills in the real world right away,” says Sanderson. “If you're looking at this program versus other programs, the effectiveness of this safe program really stands out because of those aspects.”

For the first time, each course within the certificate program qualifies for a micro-credential, where a shareable badge is awarded upon high academic achievement.

“The micro-credential certification is evidence you've been assessed, earned specific competencies and you can apply them on the job. They can be standalone, so someone could take one course, or it can be a building block to a larger formal certification, such as a certificate of completion,” adds Kennedy.

You don’t need previous experience to succeed in this program — you just need to be organized, detail-oriented and have strong time management skills.

“We have lots of people from construction, oil and gas, engineering, banking, hospitality — we also see a number of small businesspeople,” adds Kennedy. “We see people who simply want better project management skills, but many are aiming for the certification and added professional value of a SAIT course.”

Registration is now open, with options for in-person and online learning.

For those with at least three years project management experience looking to obtain their Professional Project Manager (PMP)® designation, SAIT also offers a separate PMP Exam Prep course with a guaranteed-to-pass promise.