PRINCE2 Training - Is it Really Necessary for Project Management?

‘Special PRINCE2 training seminar in London, registration details included.’ This was the title of the first email in my mailbox today, with various other promotional emails. My first instinct was to delete the message, or rather mark the source as spam, but just as I was about to accomplish the stated, Jenny interrupted me. Jenny, my colleague was looking over my shoulder and had seen my email. ‘Can you forward that email to me about that PRINCE2 training please? I was just about to Google that subject.’ I agreed to forward the email to her, but as Jenny was interested in the PRINCE2 training info, I decided I should read the email as well, in case I was missing out on something really important. After reading the email my interest in the subject was roused, so I decided to follow this up with some independent research on the subject.

I began my search on the subject and found that PRINCE2 (Project IN Controlled Environments) is a project management methodology; therefore we are talking about project management and successful project execution. The PRINCE2 training apprises the learner with a general process schema that assists with the execution of a project, and defined general processes that can be customized to suit the requirements of any project. I discovered that PRINCE2 is seen as a de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and the private sector, and was first published in 1996.

But then I thought to myself, isn’t PRINCE2 training just for job seekers? After all, most of the new job advertisements were requesting trained candidates with PRINCE2 training and/or experience. It made me curious as to whether Jenny was looking for a new job, so I asked her about it. ‘No, I’m not leaving,’ she replied. ‘I want to improve my education and besides,’ she added with a wink, ‘it will look good on my CV for when that job promotion comes along.’

Her information encouraged me to continue my search about PRINCE2 because I had feeling that if didn’t do something about improving my own education, I could be left behind in the promotion stakes, and I didn’t relish that. Basically, I found that PRINCE methodology was first used by CCTA (the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency), now called The OGC (The Office of Government Commerce) in 1989. The methodology focuses at breaking down the entire project into components, which are essentially required for project completion. The PRINCE2 approach looks into the environmental factors that affect the project; and the aim is to create manageable chunks and define responsibilities for all involved, which would eventually promote easier execution. PRINCE2 was developed to introduce a standardized approach for IT project execution for central government personnel, and then it soon became a recognized approach within the UK and overseas.

PRINCE2 training usually includes a three day foundation course and a two day practitioner course. It is an instructor led learning program, which concludes with respective foundation and practitioner exams. Training programs are a combination of theoretical and practical learning. There have been essay based formats and now a multiple choice question (MCQ) exam layout has also been introduced. Like the essay format, the MCQ exam is extensive and thus adequately apt to judge a learner’s understanding of the various concepts gleaned during the PRINCE2 training program.

Since I have found out about PRINCE2 training courses, I am clear on one thing; PRINCE2 training will certainly work upon my overall understanding of a project and I will be able to contribute towards my organization’s growth and my own personal growth. A PRINCE2 training course is something I certainly do not intend to miss out on.

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