Project management apprenticeships in the manufacturing sector can produce a “more rounded learning experience” than traditional qualifications – and still trigger enhanced salaries.

That’s according to Owen Piddock, Programme Manager at leading training provider Realise, who said it was time for both learners and employers to see there are alternative routes into project management instead of just traditional ones, such as PMQ, PRINCE2 and Six Sigma.

“We face a constant battle to get employers and individuals to realise they can enhance their talent through apprenticeships rather than formal qualifications,” said Owen. “The don’t always know that an apprenticeship itself is a formal qualification.

“Apprenticeships develop knowledge and skills on a deeper level. At a time when hands-on experience can be hard to come by for project managers – whether they are young people embarking on their career or more experienced people looking to re-skill – this is more important than ever.

“Once they’ve completed an apprenticeship, people have demonstrated understanding of a range of relevant skills. They have shown they can walk the walk.

“An apprenticeship takes longer, but you are getting that more rounded learning experience.

“It was shown in the recent APM Salary and Market Trends Survey 2023 that qualifications can lead to enhanced earning potential – and that is also the case for those with apprenticeships.”

Owen said apprenticeships are not just suitable for those directly employed in project management, but also for anyone in any role that involves projects.

“Project managers are not just people with ‘project manager’ in their job title,” said Owen.

“Almost every organisation is engaged in projects – whether they realise it or not.

“Whether it’s in construction, IT software development, video game development, product development or many other areas, if it’s bringing about something new, it’s a project – and those people leading the task are project managers.

“Apprenticeships are also a good option for operational managers who have an element of project work on a day-to-day basis, or HR managers working on learning and development initiatives.

“PRINCE2 and PMQ suggest you have two years of project management experience before you take on a qualification – but with an apprenticeship, it doesn’t matter whether you’re brand new to the role or have years of experience under your belt. As long as you’re able to access projects or project work, there’s an opportunity to develop that skill level.”

Sustainability has been recently added to the apprenticeship programme, looking at best practice and future requirements for the next generation.

For example, a project such as upgrading a business’ IT system should be completed with sustainability in mind, potentially reusing hardware where possible to reduce e-waste.

Realise has been running its Level 4 Associate Project Management Apprenticeship for five years. The course has been designed in partnership with specialist project management practitioners who work across the public, private and third sector on a daily basis supporting and managing large, complex projects.

Learners typically take 20 months to complete the course, which studies up-to-date thinking across skills, theory and behaviours, including governance and leadership, project lifecycles, project planning and project maintenance.

People must be working in a project management role or already working on projects on a daily basis to be eligible for the course.

Owen added: “We have created a programme that includes time to understand the principles of structured project management and applying them to real project situations within your workplace so that learning goes beyond theory and is much more practical and useful in helping you develop your career.

“For the employer, it’s an excellent opportunity to expand the knowledge of the team and to improve project management skills, helping to streamline the process. Numerous studies have shown that employees stay longer when good quality, meaningful training is offered.

“The latest APM Salary and Market Trends Survey showed the vast majority of people in project management are either very satisfied or fairly satisfied with their work. It’s a great sector to be involved in.”

For more information, visit www.realisetraining.com