Project management is the ability to meet complex goals by utilising practical management skills, financial acumen and economic analysis. Graduates from courses in this field come away with a higher understanding of how companies set and achieve their project goals. In today’s world, being proficient in project management is a highly employable and necessary skill.
For as long as humans have dreamt of pooling their efforts to produce previously unheard of results, project management has been a necessity. From the time when King Khufu of Ancient Egypt commissioned the Great Pyramid at Giza in 2570 BC up until 1950 AD, the discipline was undefined but practised all the same. Nowadays we understand its importance, evidenced by the numerous high quality courses available.
It’s easy to look at ancient monuments as proof of what project management can do, but its power can be felt across the modern world too. People well versed in project management have the skills to manage companies, build roads and civil works, coordinate a task force and consider logistics.
Is project management for me?
Aspiring or current managers are well-advised to consider project management as a line of postgraduate study for its innumerable applications to modern civilisation. Whether you’re a humanitarian officer coordinating the construction of a new network of wells, a CEO fostering the development of new technology or a construction company plotting skyscrapers, project management can be for you.
Study pathway
Project management can be taken at several levels; each are suited to a prospective student’s current workload, availability and ambitions.
The Graduate Certificate in Project Management is an entry-level opportunity to gain a base level understanding of the discipline. These courses are offered by institutions like Charles Sturt Universityand tend to take six months if studied full time, or a year if taken part time. The following diploma can generally be taken by students achieving a credit average in their prior bachelor degree or graduate certificate. Institutions like Bond University offer accelerated programs in this field, allowing a completion time of roughly seven months.
Master of Project Management courses are available to students who want a more comprehensive understanding of project management. These courses tend to take two years or more depending on varying schedules.
Project management can be studied at the PhD level, but many of these opportunities are outside of Australia. It’s often studied under a Doctor of Philosophy, with project management as a major. The University of New South Wales and University of South Australia both do this; graduates from these courses contribute original research to the field and learn to implement their own findings.
Employment options
Procurement
A career in procurement sees graduates negotiating for scarce resources in an effort to nourish their project. This opportunity sees project management graduates utilise negotiation and interpersonal abilities to the fullest extent.
Contract management
This option sees qualified project managers minimising risk and maximising reward when it comes to legal dealings with partners and associates. Working hand in hand with procurement specialists, a contract manager is well suited to ensuring complex business relationships remain productive.
Project management
The most obvious and apparent choice, project managers are highly sought after in a variety of businesses. Construction companies like Infinity Constructions Group and Stevens Group are particularly eager for specialists in this field.
Specialisations
