Project Management Courses to Advance Your Career in South Africa

This article contains all the information you need to know about the Project Management Courses to Advance Your Career in South Africa

Project managers are often called upon to manage enormous projects that require skills and experience in order to be successful. 

In South Africa, project management courses are an excellent way to prepare yourself for these types of projects and to advance your career through education and training. 

Project Management Courses to Advance Your Career in South Africa

The following 10 project management courses will give you the knowledge you need to succeed as a project manager. Each course can be taken online at your own pace through e-learning, or in-person if you prefer more hands-on instruction, depending on your learning style and schedule.

PMP: Project Management Professional

If you’re interested in project management and are serious about your career, earning your PMP is a must. 

This globally recognized certification will set you apart from other candidates applying for project management positions—the PMP is used by business professionals around the world. The exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions, and you have four hours to complete it. 

You can take it as many times as necessary until you pass; however, if you fail three times within five years of taking it for the first time, you’ll need to wait six months before retaking it again. 

The course itself is rigorous but rewarding: It covers everything from communication skills to team building and risk management techniques. 

Many companies even offer tuition reimbursement for employees who want to earn their PMP through an accredited program.

While there are no official prerequisites for sitting for the exam, most experts recommend having at least two years of experience managing projects or working on teams that manage projects—but some people say that isn’t enough.

CAPM: Certified Associate in Project Management

The CAPM is a project management certification that demonstrates your ability to successfully manage projects, products and services. 

It’s one of three management certifications offered by PMI (Project Management Institute). There are several benefits of earning a CAPM, including raising your chances of finding employment; having more options at work; improving your ability to qualify for leadership positions, and boosting your confidence in management skills. 

To earn a CAPM, you must have at least two years of experience managing or leading small-to-medium-sized projects. You also need to complete an exam and pay an application fee. 

CSM: Certified ScrumMaster

Certified ScrumMaster is a credential conferred by Scrum Alliance. 

The CSM is awarded to individuals who have successfully completed a CSM training class and met other requirements outlined by Scrum Alliance. 

The CSM represents formal recognition that a person has achieved an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of Scrum. 

Achieving Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) status can help project managers advance their careers, earn more money, or even switch careers to software development. 

It’s also a great way for experienced developers to transition into management roles.

A certified scrum master course teaches you how to apply scrum methods in real-world settings, as well as how to coach your team members on becoming better at Agile methods. 

There are many organizations and companies offering scrum master courses across South Africa, but it’s important that you choose one with a good reputation for delivering quality training programs. 

CompTIA Project+ certification

Project+ is a professional certification from CompTIA that covers essential project management knowledge. 

As it’s a vendor-neutral certificate, IT professionals working for companies of all sizes and across industries can use it as proof of their ability to execute any kind of project. 

The exam tests your understanding of six key areas: initiating projects, planning projects, executing projects, monitoring and controlling projects, closing projects and team leadership. 

Earning your Project+ certification will prove you have what it takes to manage even large-scale or complex initiatives with ease. It also looks great on a resume! The following topics are covered by CompTIA Project+ Certification Exam:

1. Initiating Projects 

2. Planning Projects 

3. Executing Projects 

4. Monitoring & Controlling Projects 

5. Closing Projects 

6. Team Leadership (added June 2016) 

CPMP: Certified Project Management Practitioner

For managers who have some experience with project management, a Certified Project Management Practitioner (CPMP) certification can add heft to your portfolio. 

For example, CPIMs are eligible for CMMI certification and other advanced certifications from PMI. Certification is $1,000-$1,500; renewal is $500-$600 per year. 

Take note that you’ll need about two years of project management experience for these certifications (and some education or training). 

The CIPM exam includes 150 multiple-choice questions over four hours, plus an essay section. It covers topics such as: 

• Project Integration Management 
• Project Scope Management 
• Project Time Management 
• Project Cost Management 
• Project Quality Management 
• Project Human Resource Management 
• Project Communications Management 

The CIPM exam is offered twice yearly at test centres around the world.

Schools You Can Study Project Management Courses In South Africa

Varsity College, CPT Graduate Institute, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, North-West University and Cape Town City Council. 

You can also check for project management training courses at private schools like Wharton Business School and Rhodes Business School.

University Of Pretoria

Offers a Postgraduate Diploma In Project Management, At Masters Level. All project management courses are taught by professors with extensive experience in project management and business. 

This certificate program is open to any postgraduate student enrolled at UTP and takes 12 months to complete. 

Applicants who already have a diploma or degree can upgrade their qualifications by completing a number of modules offered as part of our postgraduate program. 

The duration of study for these upgrades is flexible and depends on which specific modules you choose to study. The cost of upgrading your qualification will depend on how many modules you need to complete but generally costs around R30 000 per module.

University Of Cape Town

Founded in 1829, UCT is a leading global university and one of South Africa’s preeminent higher education institutions. 

It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees across 11 faculties, as well as certificate programmes that run for two years or less. 

As it’s a public institution, tuition fees are affordable; however, be aware that because of increased costs to maintain facilities and implement new technologies it may not always be the cheapest option.

University Of South Africa (UNISA)

This is a highly-rated project management certification from an internationally recognized provider. 

You’ll learn about risk management, organizational planning, cost estimation and more. However, as mentioned earlier, it’s important to make sure that your preferred certification board accepts coursework from UNISA. This course also qualifies for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits. It’s available online or on campus. It costs around $1,200.