National Careers Week: what career professionals need to know about project management

Ahead of National Careers Week (7-12 March 2022), we spoke with Roy Christian, career consultant at the University of Bradford, to get her take on why project-based roles appeal to young people and why her fellow career consultants and advisers should consider project management careers when giving counsel to those seeking advice on their futures.

Roy Christian has over 20 years of experience advising and guiding people on their career journeys. She is linked to the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics at the University of Bradford, but also supports students from all faculties, schools and backgrounds to find careers that are right for them.

It can be complicated. Advice to students is not given lightly, as it can have a direct and profound effect on their futures. An analytical approach and a keen eye for detail are essential when dispensing advice. Career consultants must take account not only of a person’s subject of study and specialist knowledge; they must also give heed to their interests, ambitions, aptitudes and their personal attributes during the guidance appointments.

While every person is different, Roy says she works with many students who already manage projects as part of their course (although many may not realise it). This presents an opportunity, she says, for career coaches and advisers to start having conversations about becoming a project professional.

“All people do projects,” Roy says.

“Sometimes people may already have a bit of knowledge about project management but don’t necessarily make the link to a career as a project manager. They may say things like ‘I don’t know anything about project management.’

“As career professionals, we should highlight potential opportunities, building on activities undertaken during their studies (such as final year projects, dissertations or a thesis) and/or work experience, making the links between these and a career in project management. Many students are actually already managing projects using different tools, with timeframes and clear objectives.  Webinars delivered by APM, such as ‘An insight into Project Management’, have been quite an eye-opener to our students.

One obvious reason why project careers may appeal to young people is the financial reward. APM’s Salary and Market Trends Survey 2021 revealed that the average salary for a project professional is over £55,000. Despite the widespread disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, salaries for those in the early stages of their career have remained strong. While there is no definitive figure for the average starting salary for graduates in the UK, most estimates put the mean between £25,000 and £30,000, which suggests that a career in project management remains a rewarding and attractive one. For people in the 25-to-34-year-old bracket, the average salary has risen from £37,500 to £42,500 since the previous Salary and Market Trends Survey.

This is by no means the only pull factor, however. According to Roy, an increasing number of students are more likely to be drawn to roles that offer professional development and the chance to gain a range of experiences early in their careers.

Roy offered the following suggestions for career professionals when it comes to guiding or advising people on project-related roles:

Discuss the potential for progression

“Careers in project management are worth considering because we see people go up to strategic level and take charge of managing projects quickly. It offers a lot of opportunity for progression. It helps that, recently, more companies are recruiting for Graduate Project Management programmes.

Look for qualities that would make someone well-suited to managing projects

“An important thing to look for in a person is their soft skills. A key aspect of project management is understanding how to manage time constraints and risks. Skills like time management, planning and organising are very important. Someone who is driven to work towards a clear objective may also be well suited.

Help them understand what project management is really about

“Some students will say that project management isn’t what they had in mind if they have limited awareness of the scope of the role. But when you explain to them what is involved in managing projects, they suddenly realised they’re already managing small projects and can start to see the connections.”

APM defines project management as “the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters.” A key difference between project management and just 'management' is that project management has a final deliverable and a finite timespan.

The term ‘project’ often conjures images of construction and infrastructure. In fact, projects take place in every industry and sector, from arts and culture, media and sport, technology, finance, HR, legal and many more.

• APM offers free Student membership to any full-time or part-time student or apprentice aged 16 or over who has an interest in project management. At this developmental stage of a person’s career, Student membership will support learning by providing access to a range of online resources.
• For more information about National Careers Week visit nationalcareersweek.com