Cetera wrote:
I would love to get a project management cert, but it seems like you need quite a bit of experience doing project management before they'll let you into the program. I don't have any, except for the informal stuff I do all the time trying to manage the company's projects that aren't managed well, if at all, and trying to get things on track. I feel I would be pretty good at it, and have relevant practical experience, but no official management experience.
Cetera, you have 2 options with PMI. I will call them option A and option B
Option A requires:
1) four-year degree (bachelor’s or the global equivalent)
2) at least three years of project management experience
3) 4,500 hours leading and directing projects
4) 35 hours of project management education.
Option B requires:
1) A secondary diploma (high school or the global equivalent)
2) at least five years of project management experience
3) with 7,500 hours leading and directing projects
4) 35 hours of project management education
When it asks for three or five years project management experience it does not have to be as THE Project Manager. Initiating the project, planning the project, managing the cost, managing the schedule, executing the work, executing the procurement, managing/executing the quality, managing the risk, managing the human resources all count towards project management experience. I spent years as a project controls manager and a risk manager. That time counted towards my project management experience.