Recently, the MSc in Programme and Project Management (PPM) at Cranfield received Recognised Assessment status from the Association of Project Management (APM). The PPM MSc is an executive programme which enables UK MoD personnel to develop the skills and knowledge to operate at a more strategic level and challenge traditional project management thinking. Being awarded Recognised Assessment status means that graduates of the programme can now pursue the Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) standard with the APM.
Dr Pete Ito, Lecturer in Defence Acquisition and Director of the PPM, discusses the value of professional qualifications and Chartered status for defence professionals, and considers how the defence industry can benefit from graduates pursuing this type of qualification.
Achieving a personal career goal
When it comes to the value of gaining professional qualifications, and becoming Chartered, it really comes down to the individual. There is no right or wrong answer, it’s about what you want and the value you place on it. For some, becoming Chartered may mean a great deal especially if they are working in certain companies or areas: gaining the ChPP status may be a key personal goal that provides recognition that they are a well-respected member of their profession. Even if it doesn’t directly lead to a salary increase or a move to a different job, it may make these things easier to obtain in the future. For other individuals, the ChPP status may only be a minor point in comparison to experience. Whatever your individual reasons, the Recognised Assessment status of the PPM MSc at Cranfield gives you the opportunity to become Chartered and advance your career further.
Receiving professional recognition
Professional qualifications can help you have your skills and expertise more readily accepted without question. They enhance your credibility, therefore making it easier for you to challenge the status quo or bring new ideas to the fore in project management. However, it’s important that this point isn’t overemphasised – there are plenty of people with professional qualifications who have not yet proven their worth in doing their job: qualifications don’t replace the need for well-applied skills.
If you already have both extensive experience in your area and the proven reputation to go alongside this, which ensures your expertise is readily accepted and you are taken seriously, pursuing additional accreditation such as the ChPP status may be of little value. However, it takes time and experience to reach that point of being an easily acknowledged master in the field. In an area where there are many applicants for jobs and many voices clamouring to be heard, the accreditation provides you with that objective seal of approval that demonstrates that you know what you are talking about. It won’t make up for a lack of leadership skills, social skills or other soft skills – but ChPP status removes that question regarding your skills and knowledge.
The role of professional qualifications and Chartered status in the recruitment process
The extent to which professional qualifications and accreditation are advantageous for potential job candidates depends on the balance and the weighting of considerations. While I don’t believe any organisation would be likely to make a recruitment decision based solely on professional qualifications/accreditation, I do believe they can be an important part of how organisations weigh up the various considerations of what constitutes a “good” candidate. Some roles may specify ChPP status as part of the role requirements, and even if the role doesn’t require ChPP status it can help candidates to differentiate themselves from the rest of the field. Additionally, accreditation provides companies with a certain objective standard to validate the knowledge-base of an applicant.
Applying programme and project management in the defence industry
The UK defence industry benefits from having more people with in-depth knowledge of programme and project management, who can bring that to bear on the defence area. There is an ongoing discussion as to whether defence is unique, but whatever your views it should be apparent that programme and project management techniques should be rigorously scrutinised to see if they can – and should – be applied to defence to improve outputs and outcomes.
Each industry has its own nuances, and not all of the techniques work in all areas, but by understanding the techniques and the rationale behind them, project and programme management professionals can rigorously examine what parts of PPM are beneficial to the defence industry.
Learn more about pursuing the Chartered Project Professional standard through the APM
The ChPP standard acts a professional benchmark, demonstrating that an individual with the ChPP status has achieved a set level of technical knowledge, professional practice and ethical behaviour. More information about the standard and the routes to Chartered status can be found here. Those who have completed the MSc in Programme and Project Management are able to utilise Route 1, now that the programme has achieved Recognised Assessment status. The current window for application submissions is open until 29 May 2020. Visit the APM website for further details of the application process.