Seven Reasons to Renew your PRINCE2 Qualification

When money is tight and time is short do you really need the hassle of renewing your PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification? Here are some reasons to renew.

1. PRINCE2 2009 is Different.

What’s more it’s different in a big way. The new version is far less prescriptive and much more flexible; it focuses and gives guidance on tailoring; it emphasises the essential soft skills; it clearly defines principles; it has slashed some areas whilst significantly enlarging others. PRINCE2 2009 has moved project management on, and many organisations like the British Council and Suffolk County Council have felt its benefit.

2. Staying Registered.

Remember that whilst your PRINCE2 2005 certificate is yours forever, your registration isn’t. The PRINCE2 qualification is proof that you’re a registered practitioner. Without renewal you can’t claim that on your CV or that you’re up with the latest thinking.

3. Refresh Your Skills.

In some countries drivers must re-take their driving test after a few years to prove they’re fit to drive. For those trained in the old approach, PRINCE2 2009 is the project management equivalent. You can revise key techniques, ditch bad old habits and learn new good ones. Retraining can help you bring new rigour to your project management skills and so reduce the chances of failure.

4. Keeping your Current Job.

We’re all wondering if we’re safe. There are no guarantees but it’s a good idea to show your boss that you’re improving your skill set to add value to your role and to the firm. Whether you ask bosses to invest in you or whether you invest in yourself, renewing PRINCE2 is one way of proving your worth and one step towards future-proofing your career.

5. Searching for a Job.

Put yourself in a prospective employer’s shoes: two equally strong candidates but one with PRINCE2 2009 and one without. Which would you interview? Employers want people with measurable skills and people who’ll fit in and develop with the team. They want success. As a result, they’re increasingly stipulating PRINCE2 in job adverts and you can be sure they don’t mean the old version. In a buyer’s market, employers call the shots.

6. Working Together.

Ever worked in a team where everyone followed his or her own approach? How did that go? When a whole team uses PRINCE2 you’re all on the same page. When it doesn’t there’s a risk of chaos or conflict owing to competing approaches. Indeed, professionals wanting to take change management to another level are looking at qualifications such as Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices (P3O).

7. Links with other Standards.

Managing portfolios, programmes or projects could be described as fitting together a complex, living jigsaw. So naturally it helps if all the pieces come together in the right way. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has ensured that PRINCE2 2009 aligns with its own products such as Managing Successful Programmes, Management of Risk and P3O as well as with other standards and bodies of knowledge.

Useful Links:

• For a complete picture of PRINCE2 and what it can do make your way to the OGC where you can also find out about the links between its various processes.
• The APMG provides a slew of useful information about PRINCE2 accredited training options.
• Navigate your way through PRINCE2 with a raft of useful downloads that include a glossary, quiz and templates.
• For the practical minded amongst you, the British Council and Suffolk County Council provide some valuable insights into using PRINCE2 2009.
• ILX Group deliver PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner e-learning, classroom and blended learning.
• The PRINCE2 e-learning experience may be the perfect option for those with an eye for cost-effective, rich and collaborative training that includes a blog, a forum and social media such as Twitter and Facebook.