The PMP credential. People spend months, even years preparing for the four hour, two hundred question exam that will proclaim them PMP certified. The certification recognizes demonstrated knowledge and skill in leading and directing project teams and in delivering project results within the constraints of schedule, budget and resources. The La Crosse PMI Chapter has 75 certified PMPs, with more sitting for the exam every day. So how important is the PMP credential in the La Crosse/Rochester area?

 

According to Logistics Health, Inc. PMO Department Manager William Arnold, PMP, it is important. “We recognize that individuals with the PMP credential have been verified to a project management standard. They come with guarantees. In order to attain the PMP credential,  you need to have a certain number of documented hours in project management and sit through a 200 question test; and you’ve demonstrated that you’ve worked in the industry in project management and that you’ve gone the extra step to put in that study, do the coursework to become credentialed.  In order to maintain the credential, you need to follow a code of ethics and keep current on Project Management principles.  When hiring within the PMO those are discriminating factors we value.” He goes on to say that “the types of projects we give to those within the PMO speaks to the level of experience that the project managers have. PMP’s usually get larger scaled efforts—there’s a confidence in their abilities and the fact that they will complete projects and programs on time.”

 

Nancy Olson, PMP, a Project Manager at Organic ValleyFamily of Farmsshares “I am currently looking to recruit Project Managers into the cooperative, and while the PMP credential is critical to me, it’s less important to the organization. Since I am a PMP, I understand the extreme importance of standards, common processes, and terminology we all agree upon and understand. The cooperative is beginning to understand, but is not yet quite fully mature in this capacity. The most critical project management skills the cooperative understands are more on the 'talent' side—leadership capabilities, ability to drive a project through to the end, being able to deliver tough messages, vendor management, and keeping a team focused and energized. Personally, I want them to have all these talents, and follow a structured methodology whenever possible.”

 

According to Cathy Wiste, Employment Representative at Franciscan Skemp, the PMP credential is very important. She says, “It’s important because Franciscan Skemp is always working on process improvement, and project management is an important component of that. We want project managers to be able to look at the whole picture. As a project manager, you need to do your research, be able to put a plan in place, and work well as a team and individually.”

 

The PMP certification is also held in high regard at Kaplan Professional Education. “As an education company, great value is placed on certifications, and as they relate to one’s career,” says one company representative. “Understanding the co-dependencies on how one project’s tasks are dependent on the completion of another task is a critical project management skill that Kaplan Professional Education looks for.”

 

So is the PMP credential considered a valuable asset to many businesses in the La Crosse area? It seems that, yes, it is, especially as businesses continue to be exposed to the benefits project management can provide, and as they learn more about the profession in general. It’s up to us, then, as project managers to not only continue to deliver that value but provide education about the project management processes, standards, and guidelines that can benefit all of our businesses; and help our teams continue to adopt good project management best-practices whenever possible.

 

- Sarah Arendt, Marketing Coordinator, AVS Group