ActPM - Guide to Course Endorsement

ACCREDITED PROJECT MANAGEMENT (ACTPM)

TRAINING PROVIDER'S GUIDE TO ENDORSEMENT

CONTENTS

Introduction
How Long Does Endorsement Last?
Why Would You Want To Be Endorsed?
What Are Our Goals
Our Objectives
Scope
Aipm, Project Management And Membership
RegPM
What Will Aipm Endorse?
How Do You Become Endorsed?
Documentary Evidence And Material Required
Criteria For Course Presenters And Trainers
Professional Application Of Knowledge
ACT PM Submission Form
ACT PM Attachments Check List
Endorsement Course Fees

1. Introduction

This information is provided for any course provider who would like to have their Project Management courses endorsed by AIPM. In pursuing the Accredited Training Provider's in Project Management (ActPM) endorsement, it means that the training provider will be able to create a variety of Project Management courses, without having the need to go through the process of endorsement for each of the courses. Rather, the ActPM ensures that it is the provider who is endorsed, with the understanding that they will be responsible for ensuring that any Project management courses provided by them will then fit the selected criteria.

In order for you to proceed further, it would be helpful for you to review the following material. Once you have done this and you have made an application for ActPM on our AIPM website, then our Certification and Assessment Manager will contact you to have a discussion around approved processes. We look forward to a long relationship with your organisation and thank you for your enquiry.

2. HOW LONG DOES ENDORSEMENT LAST?

Endorsement of the provider lasts for a period of three years, upon which you will need to re-apply. After this time period, providers are suspended until ensuring that all criteria have been adhered to.

3. Why would you want to be endorsed?

AIPM is the largest project management community in Australasia incorporating over 8,250 individual members, corporate members, industry groups and communities of practice

AIPM's role is to improve knowledge and skills and to recognise competence of project team members, project managers and project directors all of whom play a key role in the achievement of business objectives, not just project objectives. AIPM also aims to ensure that those involved at other levels in an organisation and the community understands the key role of Project Management in today's society.
Full time and part time students of an ActPM can become a Student Member of AIPM for the duration of their course. It provides students with a temporary affiliation with an industry body of their profession and gives them access to most membership benefits. Of particular interest for students would be invitations to networking events, the bi-monthly magazine 'The Project Manager' and access to the online Information Resource Centre (IRC), one of the largest repositories of project management research and knowledge.

If the course undertaken with an accredited training provider is successfully completed students are automatically eligible for professional recognition as an Associate Member of AIPM. They can use the post-nominals AAIPM.

Student and full Membership facilities include a reduced rate of only $66.00 p/a, which could be built into the course fee.

Our RegPM Certification program is highly sought after. It follows the AQF standards for Project Management and adds credibility to candidates when applying for Project Management positions.

4. What are our goals?

AIPM's goals are:

To align training to a professional recognition body.
To increase the awareness of Project Management as a profession.
To progress the globalisation of Project Management.
To recognise excellence in Project Management .
To promote competency-based assessment for those working in Project Management.
To grow our membership.
To promote AIPM as the largest project management community in Australasia.
To promote training providers who provide Pmbok standards with competency assessment, recognition.

As an AIPM endorsed provider, it means that our members as well as other interested parties who access AIPM's website will contact you as a preferred training provider of Project Management. Our endorsed providers are seen as a preferred option for clients of Project Management courses, throughout each State and territory within Australia.

5. Our objectives

AIPM's objectives are:

To provide, as a valued service to members, reliable direction in Project Management courses and products in each State & Territory.
To assist members and others to make an informed choice to suit their professional development
To support the maintenance of the professional standards for Project Management in line with the AIPM competency and recognition framework.
To encourage service providers to embrace recognised best practice in Project Management by providing professional development activities which are aligned with the National Competency Standards for Project Management.

6. Scope

AIPM will endorse those training providers that demonstrate practical support for the AIPM's National Competency Standards and RegPM program of certification. At present we are reviewing other standards which may come under our umbrella at a future date.

7. AIPM, Project Management and Membership

As an endorsed Provider, it means that students who participate in your programs will automatically be eligible for Student membership to AIPM with a reduced Student Membership rate and the application fee waived. (see AIPM's website for more details). The advantage to student members is that they have access to our Information Resource Library, where a full time librarian can assist them with Project Management resources. This is particularly beneficial for assignments.

Other advantages include: subscription to our Project Manager Magazine and regular invitations to our chapter events; access to project management jobs available, as well as other benefits shown on our website.

Upon receipt of their qualification students will then automatically be recognised under our Associate membership. (AAIPM). They can then upgrade this to full membership of AIPM if they can demonstrate skills, knowledge and competency to perform in the role of a team member, project manager or program director. They can also gain this through recognition and assessment through our RegPM program.

8. RegPM

Members of AIPM have access to the RegPM certification program. This is a competency based, workplace assessment program that provides professional recognition for demonstration of skills and knowledge.

Training providers of our endorsed courses are able to assist participants in their programs to understand the RegPM process, although this certificate may not be given automatically as part of the certification of the course being delivered. Please ask for or refer the participant to the AIPM website for information regarding our RegPM process.

9. What will AIPM endorse?

AIPM will endorse Project Management courses which show professional development. Options covered by this endorsement policy are:

Courses leading to a BSB01 Project Management qualification or award
Short Courses leading to a statement of attainment, where the competencies are recognised under the Project Management National Competency Standards framework.

It is also important that any software, support, seminars or presentations which are part of the course, module, or program) also show evidence of these competencies under the PMNCS framework.

10. How do you become endorsed?

(Instructions for completing and submitting application).

Step A) Apply: All application forms can be found on AIPM's website.

Step B) Pay Fees: Please note that there is a separate "Application fee" which is payable before any Training Provider's courses can be endorsed. Once the application fee has been paid, the Certification and Assessment Manager will contact you regarding the next steps (see below). The "Endorsement Fee" must then be paid for Certification to be complete. This may vary according to the number of courses your provide. Once you have decided that you want to proceed, please phone the Certification and Assessment Manager on 8288 8756. As from 1st December 2006, a "base" fee will be shown on the website.

The following steps are to be followed when applying for course, workshop or conference accreditation:

Step A). Application

Complete Application for "Endorsement of a Course in Project Management" form. A PDF set of the documentation is available here. Check that all details are correct, each question has been answered and that payment for the correct amount is attached to the form.
Pay the Application Fee either by credit card over the secure web site, or send a cheque to the AIPM Support Office. An invoice can be arranged if necessary, however please be aware that this may delay the process.
You will be contacted by the AIPM Certification and Assessment Manager to confirm what you need to do and have a general conversation about the endorsement of your program.
If you require a Confidentiality Agreement to be signed before previewing any documents, this must be forwarded by the organisation at his stage. (May be faxed).

Step B). Collection of information and Material

Collect and collate documentary evidence needed by AIPM as listed in section 7.
Package and forward all materials to the address below, or email them as listed.

Phone: 8288 8756
Fax: 8288 8711
Email: ActPM@aipm.com.au

Address: Certification and Assessment Manager
Australian Institute of Project Management,
Level 9
139 Macquarie Street,
Sydney NSW 2000.

Review of the material will be done by the Certification and Assessment Manager, in consultation with a committee. Any questions regarding the application will be directed to the contact officer nominated by the applicant. Applications are normally processed within 30 working days of receipt of the application at AIPM.

11. Documentary evidence and material required by AIPM

(To be accompanied with copy of the application form).

For a course to become endorsed by AIPM, there are certain standards that must be adhered to by the course provider as follows. All information within the course must adhere to these requirements. The criteria is often covered in what you already have, so please don't be confused, often a simple phone call will assist with what is needed.

This evidence must also include the most current course, workshop or conference material, including marketing material, for the course/s, workshop/s or conference/s covered by the application. For multiple courses to be endorsed, we need to review all material.

We understand that IP is critical and are happy to sign a "confidentiality agreement" for you if required. It may be sent in either hard or soft copy to the address on page 8.

Documentary evidence is required in relation to the following criteria.
It must be CLEARLY evident in the material where the evidence may be found for the Certification and Assessment Manager in assessing the evidence (ie; tabs or similar). A hard copy must be sent to the above address, although it may also be sent via email.

1. Course description. The details of each course can be completed on line in the future, however a hard copy must be printed off for your records and accompany a copy of the application and sent to the address on page 8.

2. The aims of the course and how these relate to National Competency Standards for Project Management.

3. Demonstration that the outcomes of the course are aligned to the PMBok competency standards throughout the material. How these standards apply to human resources and assessment procedures should be clearly mapped out in the course delivery. This criteria could effectively would/could relate within the following documents as an example:

Participant workbook and participant worksheets. This must adhere to the following guidelines and show:
- the level of certification (ie Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma 4,5,6)
- integration between RegPM level and PMBok.
- acknowledgement that certification at Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level, will not automatically be certified as also receiving a RegPM.
Cross reference to AQF units of competency (units being covered are clear within the material as it is being presented/read by the participant)
Reference to Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) and/or other reference material/publications/support packages.
- " Delivery plan:
- a. Shows reference to performance criteria
- b. Refers to which unit of Project Management knowledge is being covered (as documented in the PMBOK).
Facilitator notes show evidence of:
- o Reference to explanation of what RegPM is and how it relates to certification.
- o Reference and/or explanation of competencies and reference to AQF.
- o Explanation of assessment process.

4. Assessment procedures and samples of assessment and how they relate to the competency units. Assessment material must:

a. explain which Performance Criteria is covered by each Assignment
b. explain the type of evidence needed
c. make reference to all assessment criteria ( ie validity, authenticity, sufficiency, consistency)

5. Demonstration that the organisation has the capability to deliver the workshop as described. (ie RTO recognition)

6. A Capability statement in relation to all presenters. (see Criteria for presenters, trainers and training organisations).

12. Criteria for Course Presenters and Trainers

Each course regardless of length should be presented by suitable trainers or presenters and be supported by suitable groups. Before the course is endorsed, both the course notes and presenters should fit the criteria as follows:

Direct course, courseware or distance education (DE) and support products (eg case studies, simulation learning, coaching, mentoring, on line related products or PM support) are the responsibility of the Director.
The nominated and responsible Directors should hold appropriate qualifications in Project Management (ie RegPM, PMP or a tertiary qualification in Project Management and be eligible for membership of AIPM).
The Director should ensure that each course presenter, lecturer, mentor or tutor has experience and qualifications appropriate to the subject matter they are delivering or supporting. (ie, evidence of RegPM or PMP, or where PMBOK is not being addressed, at least 2 years relevant practical experience "on the job" in the area they are presenting or supporting together with proof of knowledge by way of educational qualifications in Project Management or in the particular subject matter they are delivering.
The Directors must sign that for a period of two years they will ensure that this (point 3) remains the case by way of a statutory declaration.
The training organisation must already have a course recognised by IBSA.

13. Professional Application of Knowledge

It is recommended that all courses incorporate the professional application of the knowledge of "work placed competence" in line with the National Competency Standards for Project Manager (NCSPM). This includes the strategies for assessing workplace application in line with the requirements of the Project Management Recognition Council (PMRC) and the professional capability of the facilitators conducting the workshops.

14. Act PM Submission Form

Click here to open the Act PM Submission form in a new window. A hardcopy of this form is also available in the PDF ActPM guide - PDF ACTPM Guide.

15. Act PM Attachments check list

Course material /workbooks/worksheets
Facilitator notes
Assessment Material
Delivery Plan
Statutory Declaration
Evidence to support that support products are the responsibility of the director
Reference to PMBok
Cross reference to AQF
Submission form

16. Endorsement Fees

Click here to open the Course Endorsement Fees Information page.

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