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RegPM FAQ
How long does it take?If you have been involved in project management for at least two years, the program may take up to three months to complete. If you are relatively new to project management, the program may take up to 12 months to complete. It may take longer if, in the process of addressing the performance criteria, you identify skills gaps which require you to undertake some additional project management training.
The assessment process itself will vary depending on how long it takes a candidate to compile the evidence. What are the benefits?
Am I entitled to use post-nominals after I have been awarded the RegPM?After you have been awarded a RegPM award at one of the three levels, you will be able to add the following after your surname:
Is the RegPM award industry-specific?The RegPM award program is generic. It is based on the Professional Competency Standards for Project Management, which was developed using cross industry feedback.
Assessors for the RegPM will have a background and experience in a particular industry or profession, and this may be of added value to a candidate. It is important to note however that Assessors must assess against Competency Standards for Workplace Training & Assessment and not against industry codes or practices, particularly if those codes or practices are inconsistent with the PCSPM. What is involved in the assessment process?The assessment process need not be arduous if you prepare adequately for it. An AIPM Registered Assessor is interested in ensuring that high standards of compliance with the Standards for Workplace Assessment are maintained, and will therefore ensure that you satisfy strict skills application criteria ie the workplace assessor must be able to match your workplace performance in project management to each of the performance criteria within the units of competency.
Sometimes the generic Competency Standard (PCSPM) statements are difficult to relate to your workplace. It is your Assessor’s responsibility to understand your work environment and relate the Competency Standard to the specifics of your environment. It is your responsibility to gather evidence of application in what you do in project management, and align the evidence to the framework advised by the assessor.
The assessment process is therefore quite straight-forward. You have already applied for assessment. You have selected an Assessor and discussed your workplace specifics so the assessment can be conducted ‘in context’ (ideally modified, annotated to your requirements). You then:
Of course there are many ways the assessment may go. Many assessors will combine compilation of evidence with interviews with you and your peers/supervisor; and/or observe your performance in the workplace (ie spend an hour or two with you and review your project and what you are currently doing, with what templates/ process/ tools). Sometimes a gap will be evident, either in your practice or in your organisation’s framework, and additional evidence or effort may be required. If there is a knowledge and therefore application gap, training may be recommended in a specific subject.
At the time of the assessment, you will be found either competent or not-yet-competent. If the former, then the process continues with an assessor report to the AIPM, notification of success to you, and receipt of a certificate at the level sought. If not-yet-competent, the assessor will advise you of the requirement and you can choose how to fill the gap. This is your prerogative, and your actions are not confined to dealing with the assessor for remedial action.
Most importantly, the whole process need not take a long time. Stage A can be reached as quickly as you can compile evidence (either you satisfy all requirements, or other actions are recommended to you to ‘fill the gap’). In your interests this should take no more than 3 months. Again the Stage B remedial action is up to you – it may be as simple as finding/ clarifying evidence, or may require you choosing a training provider to resolve a ‘gap’, or tackling your organization for clarity on particular processes/ templates provided. Once resolved, the assessor must complete the assessment process expediently – he/she should have provided very clear directions to you, and if your respond accordingly, the assessment report can be completed and the process completed.
So try to stay in control of the process: it is designed for your convenience. If it is not proceeding to your satisfaction, please advise the Certification & Assessments Manager at AIPM National Office, and it will be addressed immediately.
Is there a process in place to "quality assure" the assessment process?Additionally, there is an Assessor Network Council (ANC) which must:
Once I am included on the Register of Project Managers, how long does this registration last?Registration and inclusion on the Register of Project Managers is valid for three years from the date the RegPM award issues, subject to continued financial membership of the AIPM. After three years, RegPM award recipients must renew their registration to remain on the Register. Do I have to continue to be an AIPM member to remain certified?Certification is restricted to financial members of the AIPM. For your certification to remain valid you need to remain a financial member by paying your annual membership renewal fee.
What is the difference between the different certification systems?There are a few certification systems for project managers. The certification page on wikipedia is available for further reading. I have a project management qualification. Does that qualify me as a RegPM?There is a difference between a certification (issued by a professional body) and a qualification (issued by a university, TAFE, Registered Training Authority etc). Traditionally, qualifications issued by universities and other higher education institutions do not include a competency-based component in the assessment criteria - the assessment component usually comprises of exams and assignments.
Obtaining a project management qualification will certainly provide you with a strong basis for completing the RegPM program. In particular, it should equip you with the necessary knowledge base for undertaking the RegPM. To ensure that the course you undertake does cover the required knowledge areas, you should select a course which has been endorsed by the AIPM.
Some of the courses endorsed by the AIPM are provided by universities and RTOs who are able to issue qualifications. Some of these courses also include a competency-based assessment component ie the compilation of a logbook. As a result, you may be able to use the same logbook to obtain both the qualification from the university or RTO, AND for the RegPM program. When enrolling in a course which has a competency-based assessment component, you should inform the course coordinator that you are also enrolled in the RegPM program. I have a "PMP" - does this qualify me for the RegPM award?The PMP is the certification awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The PMP is not competency-based. It has two elements - knowledge and experience. As a result, a PMP contributes to Associate level membership.
As the PMP is not a competency-based certification program, it does not qualify a person for the RegPM. However, the knowledge base of the PMP is the same as the knowledge base for the RegPM. The PMP therefore provides a strong foundation for those undertaking the RegPM. Will the new PCSPM standards affect me if I commenced the program under the previous Standards?The Professional Competency Standards for Project Management (PCSPM) became active in June 2008. Please see the PCSPM page for information on transitional arrangements for your RegPM.
The National Competency Standards for Project Management (NCSPM) were finalised in 2004 and were active until June 2008. What if I fail?There is no pass or fail criteria - only ‘competent’ or ‘not yet competent’. You continue through the program, working with your Assessor, until such time as you are considered ‘competent’ according to the performance criteria documented in the Professonal Competency Standards for Project Management.I am not currently working in project management. Am I still able to enrol in the program?The RegPM is essentially a workplace assessment program. When compiling the logbook for the RegPM, you must be able to provide evidence from a recent project or projects for each performance criteria. This will be easier to do if you are currently working on a project(s). If you are not working on a project, then it may take longer to gather the evidence unless you have access to evidence from earlier projects. It is also possible to complete the program using evidence of your project management capabilities applied in some other context eg projects you may be involved in for volunteer associations. You will need to discuss these issues with your Assessor. Additionally, if you are having difficulty identifying a project or gaining access to information, you will need to discuss these issues with your Assessor.I am not resident in Australia. Can I still enrol in the program?Although from a workplace assessment perspective, it is often useful for your Assessor to observe you in your working environment, it is not essential. A number of overseas candidates have successfully completed the program, communicating with their Assessors by email and by teleconference. Assessors on the Register of Assessors have indicated whether they are available to assess overseas and/or interstate candidates. Back to About RegPM Page
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