CAPM certification (Certified Associate in Project Management) is one of the most popular certifications for entry-level professionals in project management. In today’s blog post, we will discuss this certification.
The job market is highly competitive these days. Organizations are looking for ways to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their processes. They are particular about who they hire for entry-level jobs. Applicants Many applicants have little or no experience. In this case, employers verify an applicant’s education and certification.
CAPM stands for Certified Associate in Project Management. It is an entry-level certification for professionals interested in project management, offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), USA.
According to PMI, “CAPM certification recognizes practitioners who are interested in project management or just starting a career, as well as project team members who want to demonstrate their knowledge of project management.” In this blog post, we will discuss CAPM certification in detail.
How to Get CAPM Certification
To earn CAPM certification, you must pass a computerized test. The duration is 3 hours, and you must answer 150 multiple-choice questions. There is no penalty for wrong answers in the exam.
Once you pass the exam, you can add the CAPM title with your name and signature. This certification is valid for three years. If you wish to renew it, you must complete the CAPM CCR cycle, i.e., earn 15 PDUs within three years and report to PMI. This will extend your CAPM certification for an additional three years. You can take the CAPM test at home or a Pearson VUE centre.
The CAPM exam eligibility period is one year from when PMI approves your application. You have three attempts to pass the test. You cannot reapply for one year if you do not pass the test in these attempts.
CAPM Certification Learning Objectives
CAPM Certification training provides the following benefits:
• It helps participants understand the fundamentals of implementing standard processes and practices to succeed in their projects.
• Effective project management enables organizations to deliver, reducing costs, shortening project duration, and increasing business value.
• Participants’ knowledge ranks across all five process groups and ten knowledge areas.
• Helps participants prepare for their CAPM ® exam toward achieving certification.
CAPM Certification Exam Information
• Exam Requirements: Secondary degree with 23 hours of project management education.
• Exam Fee: USD 225 (PMI Members) USD 300 (Non-Members)
• Renewal Fee: USD 150 (PMI Members) USD 200 (Non-Members)
• Questions: 150 questions
• Duration of Exam: 3.0 Hours
• Passing Marks: Not specified
• Mode of Examination: Computer Based – Can be taken online.
What does the CAPM certification cover?
The CAPM exam covers the entire range of project management processes and knowledge areas from the PMBOK Guide.
What exactly is it? PMI makes it easy for you to see precisely what will be tested. The exam content is covered in detail in the Exam Content Outline.
You can see a summary in the table below. Percentages relate to how much the test focuses on each area.
CAPM Certification Career Benefits
Project management training will help you better understand the project and organizational life cycle. Able to contribute more effectively to a project team. You will be able to understand and manage project management processes.
Because you don’t need project management experience to take the exam, we find that CAPM is popular among college students and working professionals. You can study for the CAPM alongside your college or university courses if you are a student. Then when you graduate, you will already have a professional certificate, which can help you secure a job, perhaps as an associate project manager or even a project manager!
Overall, people become more efficient at their jobs by using tried and tested tools and techniques to get their jobs done. They also have fewer crises to deal with at work because they have correctly engaged stakeholders and managed risk. Although projects can be stressful, knowing that you are following good practices and using international quality methods can help you deal with those stressful moments.
What Are the Best CAPM Careers?
So, you took the test and passed. What does this mean for your career now?
There are thousands of jobs for project management delivery professionals at all levels. CAPM is a good certification for those just starting in this field, so you’ll be applying for jobs such as:
Associate or Assistant Project Manager (in some countries, you may still see jobs advertised as Junior Project Manager, but age discrimination laws mean this is a less common title these days)
• Project Coordinator
• Project Support Specialist
• Project Administrator
• PMO Analyst
• And of course…the project manager!
You can also look for roles in specific industries, such as operations or engineering project managers. And suppose business analytics is an area of interest. In that case, the CAPM certification provides a good foundation for working in a project environment, so it’s also helpful if you’re going for a business analyst job.
What is after CAPM certification?
CAPM certification is for entry-level professionals. Once you achieve this, the next step is to gain more experience. Apply for the PMP exam as soon as you qualify. PMP certification is the most valuable certification for experienced project professionals. It is highly respected and will help you take your career to the next level.
Having a CAPM certification will help you prepare for your PMP exam. You have gone through the PMBOK guide and understand the project management concepts. After gaining this confidence, clearing the PMP exam will not be too difficult for you. You must attend a 35-contact hour project management training program to apply for the PMP exam. A bonus of holding a CAPM certification is that you are exempt from attending training.
Conclusion
A CAPM certification is an excellent start to excellence in your project management career. The eligibility requirements for the CAPM certification are not demanding, and you can apply for this certification without any experience. CAPM certification helps you build a solid foundation for your career.
