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Lesson 1: Introduction to Project Management

Job Prospects for Project Managers

You may have wondered at some point, Why does Penn State want Business majors to take a 400-level course in project management? A lot of the topics discussed throughout the semester will seem rather technical. But Penn State wants you to have these skills, as they will make you more competitive and successful in the job market. Here’s why:

  1. Project management is experiencing rapid growth. Recruiter.com reports that in the past five years, jobs in project management appear to have grown about 30% (Larsen, 2011).
  2. Projects are the building blocks in the design and execution of organizational strategies. In the textbook readings for this lesson, we learn that projects are how we achieve our company’s goals. We use projects to drive change and therefore promote success in our organizations. Good managers look for ways to make things better within an organization, and we can accomplish this through projects.
  3. You can find a career in project management in almost any industry. It has been reported that “many of today’s hot jobs—and the projections for the next 10 years—give an edge to workers who can bring innovations to market, the trademark of a top project manager” ("Job Market Improves for Project Managers," 2013).

How do project managers receive training and learn more about best practices? Project managers around the world have united to form the Project Management Institute. This organization has over 450,000 global members and over 280 local chapters internationally. PMI offers the internationally recognized Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which can be earned by experienced project managers to improve their job prospects and ability to deliver projects successfully.

PMI also publishes the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK). This is a valuable tool for all project managers and will be referenced throughout this course.

References

Job market improves for project managers. (2013, May 13). Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/1350142842?accountid=13158

Larsen, M. (2011, May 13). Five trends in project management jobs. Recruiter.com. Retrieved from https://www.recruiter.com/i/project-management-jobs/


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