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Gone are the days when one can stay satisfied with one’s job and stay relaxed about securing one’s future. Nowadays, it is no longer an ‘An easy and relaxed life’ anymore. Things have changed a lot and will keep doing so. It is a ‘Dog-eat-dog world’ where the competition is as fierce as it can possibly be.
So what does one need to grow in one’s career? A tool that gives an advantage over others. Project management is the key to ensure that the project triangle is properly maintained which results in keeping the budget, scope, and timely delivery in check. This also unites the team and keeps everybody on the same page. Projects being delivered effectively on time creates a positive impact on the entire organisation as well.
To do that, we need a methodology. PRINCE2® is one of those methods, excelling in which will take you to that next level in handling a particular project for any organisation in the most effective manner. It is the most frequently-used project management method and will offer you the confidence to manage your project effectively with success.
In this article, we will discuss what PRINCE2® certification holds, the requirements needed to apply for the same, the benefits involved, and the proper procedure to apply for the examination.
If you are interested to know about the above, then you have reached the right place.
So, let us begin.
PRINCE2® is made up of 7 principles, themes, processes, and project environment. The method used aids in managing projects with success no matter what the size and scale of a project are.
PRINCE2® includes the following:
To get PRINCE2® certified, you need to know that there are four levels in PRINCE2® Certification:
Even if there are four levels of certifications for PRINCE2®, the first two, PRINCE2® Foundation, and PRINCE2® Practitioner are the most sought after and the prerequisites vary for each of them.
Let us have a look at each of their requirements and what you will learn from them.
There are no specific pre-conditions for the Foundation level certification.
In that way, training in PRINCE2® will prepare you for the Foundation level certification in a much better manner in familiarising you with the methods, terms, and concepts.
To go for this course and examination, you will need to provide proof that you passed one of the following:
Only present-day certifications will qualify as a prerequisite.
Just like PRINCE2® Practitioner, you will need to furnish proof of having passed one of the following:
Like before, only current certifications will qualify as a prerequisite.
However, all the levels of certification have the same examination style and structure.
Anybody can use PRINCE2® to manage their projects. If you are a project designer, or into the development and delivery of projects, then you will find this certification very helpful. Moreover, if you currently are a project manager or planning to become one, then PRINCE2® certification is the one for you.
The PRINCE2® Foundation certification is for professionals who want to indicate that they can be an informed and effective member of a project management team by knowing PRINCE2® methodology, its themes, principles and processes within a PRINCE2® supporting environment.
Moreover, the PRINCE2® Foundation Certification also acts as a prerequisite for professionals who want to get PRINCE2® Practitioner or PRINCE2® Agile certified.
The PRINCE2® Practitioner Certification is for professionals who have sufficient knowledge about PRINCE2® methodologies and the application of the same, working effectively and actively with a project management team in a specific scenario and within a PRINCE2® supporting environment.
Now that we have discussed the requirements of the PRINCE2® Certifications, let us understand the style and structure of the PRINCE2® Certification examinations to help you know how to pass it.
It is quite normal to have lots of questions about the examination format, as this is one of the most crucial inquiries.
PRINCE2® examinations are either undergone:
Regardless of which option you choose, the style and structure of each examination remain nearly the same.
First, we will cover the examination structure. Let us go through them one by one.
But you might be wondering how the 2009 Certification differs from the 2017 version, and if either the requirements or the content has changed. Well, here is what is new about PRINCE2® 2017:
Now, let us analyse the PRINCE2® Practitioner examination requirements as well.
You might get this question about what you will need to do if you have a 2009 certificate, that whether you will need to reappear for the examination in the new 2017 format or wonder what the PRINCE2® certifications might reflect.
If you hold a 2009 credential, you will not need to appear for the examination again!
But, as the update was made to add more best practices or make subtle adjustments to the existing content, it is good to have an understanding of the revised material.
This can be done by:
Purchasing the 2017 PRINCE2® manual:
When you become a certified PRINCE2® Practitioner, you demonstrate your ability to implement PRINCE2® methodology in multiple environments for any kind of project, and according to the specifications of your organisation. That is why, in project management, PRINCE2® Foundation certification level remains as one of the crucial requirements to pursue the Practitioner level.
Although the PRINCE2® Foundation certificate has lifelong validity, the Practitioner Certificate is not. It will expire three calendar years from their original certification.
You either will need to resit for the Practitioner examination or renew your certificate through a subscription to My PRINCE2®.
Here are the criteria that you need to meet within the three-year period, to make sure that you stay updated through My PRINCE2®:
This will result in you getting your Practitioner certificate renewed for a further three years.
You will have the one year’s subscription included with your PRINCE2® Practitioner certificate. My PRINCE2® is an online subscription to the latest resources and content assisting you to apply everything that you learned during the PRINCE2® Practitioner examination to the workplace, as well as sharpening your skills and knowledge in line with future innovations in project and programme management.
As a My PRINCE2® subscriber, you will have access to:
Axelos will contact the successful candidates with a discount code. When contacted, the chosen candidates should have opted into AXELOS’s Successful Candidates Register at the time of examination registration. For any relevant enquiries, the candidates can email Axelos at membership@axelos.com.
My PRINCE2® is the go-to best practice subscription for project management professionals. It provides you with every possible practical help, easily accessible support, and professional approval to develop your project management career.
You will get easy access to:
Digital badges are tokens that look like icons. They are granted to imply that you have reached an accomplishment. It is a simple process to verify and share information online. Your digital badge contains and reveals information regarding the activity of your professional improvement along with the issue date and an expiry date.
AXELOS authorises this information and delivers it using metadata to avoid alterations. Employers and recruiters can use these badges to verify an individual’s credentials and can act as a differentiator.
Your badge will show the highest certification that you hold. For example, if you hold both a PRINCE2® Foundation and PRINCE2® Practitioner certification, then you will receive a PRINCE2® Practitioner badge.
When you become a certified PRINCE2® Practitioner, you demonstrate your ability to implement PRINCE2® methodology in multiple environments for any kind of project, and according to the specifications of your organisation. That is why, in project management, PRINCE2® Foundation certification level remains as one of the crucial requirements to pursue the Practitioner level.
Firstly, the components involved in the PRINCE2® certification cost are:
From PRINCE2® Foundation to PRINCE2® Practitioner, the training and examination costs change from country to country and from one accredited training organisation to another. All the fees are approximate values and you will need to contact the accredited training organisations to check the exact costs.
The components involved in the PRINCE2® certification cost are:
Choosing a PRINCE2® course online results in the cost of your training component in PRINCE2® being as low as under $300. Do keep in mind to go for a PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification examinations bundle. By doing so, you will get access to the entire course that will last for a year. Some training providers do provide such courses for just $60 if you desire to finish the same in one month’s time. Generally, you could have to pay around $900 for the Foundation examination, but if you get one of those combined courses featuring both PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification examinations, then you automatically would end up paying much less on the PRINCE2® certification.
Nevertheless, if you decide to attend classroom training, then you may have to pay around $1000 for your PRINCE2® certification. Quite some of these PRINCE2® courses cover the cost of the PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification examinations. So do make a note of the cost of the PRINCE2® certification if you intend to go for PRINCE2® training. On top of that, do pay attention to the extent of course coverage, flexibility and the bundled services that each accredited training organisation has to offer. Doing so will help you save money on the cost of PRINCE2® certification.
Going for a PRINCE2® course online will help you save a lot of money on the cost of PRINCE2® examination. The online course for PRINCE2® Foundation level may cost you €450 or more. However, the classroom session may cost €1000 or higher. So, in this manner, you will be able to cut down on the cost of the PRINCE2® examination if you choose for the online course.
Info/ Examination type | Foundation | Practitioner |
---|---|---|
Question type | Objective | Objective |
Certification family | PRINCE2® | PRINCE2® |
Conducted by | PEOPLECERT | PEOPLECERT |
Created by | AXELOS | AXELOS |
Level | Foundation | Advanced |
Re-certification | Not required | Required |
Number of questions | 60 | 68 |
Time allotted | 60 minutes | 150 minutes, 180 minutes for languages other than English |
Marks to qualify | 33 out of 60 | 38 out of 68 |
Closed/Open book | Closed book | Open book Only the manual is allowed |
Examination Languages | 6 | 6 |
You can check the PEOPLECERT website for more information.
Choosing the test centre and scheduling/rescheduling/cancelling the examination
Follow these steps in order to register for the examination and choose the examination centre.
Step 1: Visit the link:
Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the header ‘Take the Exam’.
Step 3: At the bottom right corner of the screen, under ‘Approved Test Centre’, click ‘Pearson Vue’.
Step 4: You will be taken to the page of Pearson Vue
Step 5: At the right-hand side of the page, you will see a host of options. You will need to sign in or create an account to schedule, reschedule or cancel an examination.
Step 6: To find a test centre, look just below where you are asked to sign-in and you will need to either click on ‘Find a Test Center’ or ‘Find a test center on a military base’ to search for the test centre according to your choice.
Step 7: Proceed with the chosen test centre to schedule the examination date that you prefer.
Step 1: Repeat step 1 from above.
Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the header ‘Take the Exam’.
Step 3: At the bottom right corner of the screen, under ‘Approved Test Centre’ click ‘Prometric’.
Step 4: You will be taken to the page of Prometric:
Step 5: At the top of the page you will find four options:
In order to excel in the PRINCE2® certification examinations, you will need to know exactly what will be taught in the certification courses. We will go through the syllabus of both the PRINCE2® Foundation and PRINCE2® Practitioner certification levels.
The PRINCE2® Foundation examination intends to test your capability to understand how Prince 2 methodologies work in a project and to be able to act as an informed member of a project management team using the PRINCE2® methodology within a project environment.
You will need to exhibit that you have a proper understanding of the principles of the method and terminology. You must be able to:
The Practitioner is the second of the two PRINCE2® examinations that you require to pass to become a Registered PRINCE2® Practitioner.
This PRINCE2® examination test your ability to be able to understand and implement PRINCE2® in running and managing of a project within an environment supporting PRINCE2®. You will require to show that you have what it takes to excel to get qualified with the Foundation certification. You need to demonstrate that you can fine-tune PRINCE2® to address the requirements and issues of any given project scenario. You should be able to:
Now, after knowing all about getting PRINCE2® certified, you definitely will be curious to know how this certification benefits you.
Both PRINCE2® and PMP® are two well-acclaimed certifications in Project Management. They comprise of different ideas that are special in their own way. It is really difficult to ascertain which one of these two is better and proves itself as the best choice for an individual in Project Management.
Let us have a look at the similarities between these two and compare them with each other Conclusion.
Similarities:
Comparisons:
PRINCE2® | PMP® |
---|---|
It is a methodology including processes and templates in details. | It is based on PMBOK, which is not a methodology but a standard. |
It is more applicable to the IT industry. | It is a general knowledge base for project management and relevant to many industries. |
It originated in the UK and is widely accepted in Europe and Australia. | It was born in the USA and is very popular in North America, the Middle East and Asia. |
It has three levels: Foundation, Practitioner and Professional. | It has only one level. |
A Project Manager is a mediator between the project and the control board. | A Project Manager is the one responsible for the outcome of the project. |
Conclusion
As we come to the end of our discussion, you do realise that the PRINCE2® Certification requirements give you a proper head start to realise what exactly you need to become a PRINCE2® certification professional.
It is quite evident that you will need proper training to help you clear the examination, even if this point is not mentioned in the requirements. So, you will require to choose an accredited and certified training provider to guide you throughout the term of certification. Good luck on your ventures ahead!
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