With the rise of job openings in the project management industry, more and more people are getting qualifications to be qualified to work in various project management roles. According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook data, there are higher than expected job openings for various roles in the project management industry over the next 5-years. The average weekly full-time earnings for project management roles are also above average when compared to the earnings for all occupations on the job market.

Organisations have come to rely on specialist project managers with excellent practical skills and knowledge to plan and co-ordinate their projects and campaigns on time, within budget, and to specifications.

Many university graduates aspiring to work in the project management field often get confused when deciding whether they should do a Diploma of Project Managment or a Graduate Certificate in Project Management. Which project management course suits them and their goals and aspirations?

So what’s the difference? Is there any difference?

There is a difference – A HUGE ONE as a matter of fact.

Not all project management courses are going to be the same. From what you learn in the courses, to what you can do with the certificate, to how much it costs.

What will you learn?

Our Diploma of Project Management can help equip you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in various project management roles. Our project management qualification covers the following:

• BSBPMG511 Manage project scope
• BSBPMG512 Manage project time
• BSBPMG513 Manage project quality
• BSBPMG514 Manage project cost
• BSBPMG515 Manage project human resources
• BSBPMG516 Manage project information and communication
• BSBPMG517 Manage project risk
• BSBPMG521 Manage project integration
• BSBINN502 Build and sustain an innovative work environment
• BSBMGT502 Manage people performance
• BSBWHS504 Manage WHS risks
• BSBWOR502 Lead and manage team effectiveness

Whereas a Graduate Certificate in Project Management usually consists of 4 units to be completed and it varies from one education provider to another.

RMIT’s Graduate Certificate in Project Management requires for a student to successfully complete the following to achieve the qualification:

• Introduction to Project Management
• Project Management Techniques
• Project Design for Quality
• Managing Project Teams

Swinburne University of Technology’s Graduate Certificate in Project Management requires for a student to successfully complete the following to attain the qualification:

• Strategic Project Management
• Project Leadership and Governance
• The Risk Management Spectrum
• An elective:
  • Behaviour in Organisations,
  • Communications Management,
  • Legal Issues and Negotiation Skills, or
  • Accounting Principles.

What is the price difference?

That is a staggering price difference of at least $10,462!

What are job prospects like?

With a project management diploma, the skills and knowledge you acquire can help you excel as a:

• Project Manager
• Project Contract Manager
• Project Vendor Manager
• Project Team Leader
• Project Facilitator
• Project Co-ordinator
• Project Administrator
• Program Administrator

There is currently a shortage of skilled Project Managers worldwide. One of the main advantages of becoming a Project Manager is that your skills remain the same across different industries, which means that you can move between jobs fairly easily. One estimate suggests that more than 4 million Project Managers will be needed globally by 2020 and 375,000 of these will be in Australia alone! Industries singled out as having a growing demand for Project Managers include energy, healthcare, construction and information technology.

Many of our students studying our project management diploma have been in the workforce for years and they have either decided that they want to start a new career in project management, or have chosen to upskill themselves to ensure that they have the competitive edge over their colleagues. Most choose to complete the course online so that they won’t have to sacrifice their family and work commitments, but if you need face-to-face training, on-campus learning might be a more suitable option for you.

Did you know that more and more people are going back to school to get a qualification to ensure they are able to maintain an advantage, especially in today’s competitive job market? According to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, over 4.2 million students are enrolled in various courses within the VET sector! Imagine the opportunities available to those students when they’ve graduated from their courses!

If you are interested to find out more, come speak to one of our team members or browse through our wide array of nationally recognised qualifications and career development courses on our website!

Always remember that you have to put in the effort to be able to reap its rewards! Don’t be fearful of hard work!