How to Become a Project Manager

Project managers are the point of contact for ongoing projects in an organization. They help plan, budget timelines and costs, monitor project status and report on success after a project is complete. If other team members have questions about an ongoing project, the project manager is usually the person they go to for information.

Picture an office with plenty of projects on the go, like a marketing department or tech start-up. Think of all the moving parts of an office—there’s writers, developers, designers and people who handle finances. If there wasn’t a project manager to help keep projects on track, it would be absolute mayhem! This is one of the many reasons this job is so important and relevant in many industries today. 

We’ll outline how to become a project manager, from the training and certifications you’ll need (and how to get them) all the way to what you can expect in your day-to-day. You’ll also learn about project manager opportunities that are available in Canada right now.

Get certified at Robertson

At Robertson, we offer a 6-week Project Management Online Certificate program which will give you the skills you need to land a job as a project manager. This is a great certificate if you want to advance your career, explore a new career or upgrade your skills. If you want to gain a formal accreditation with the Project Management Institute (PMI), our course is also a great avenue to prepare yourself for their exams. 

What skills will I gain from the program? 

Our program—which is 100% online and accessible 24/7—will give you the following skills to prepare you for the workforce: 

• Learn the terminology, tools and techniques to take a project from the planning, executing, monitoring and closing phases.
• Obtain the proper education to take the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam through PMI. The CAPM recognizes a global standard in project management, so having this certification can help you advance your career.
• Gain an understanding of basic project management principles that will help you in your day-to-day work. 
• Learn how to create and execute effective project management plans. 
• Develop specific skills and techniques for monitoring, controlling and closing projects. 

Even though our program is online, you’ll still get instructor feedback and have the opportunity to chat with classmates through online discussion boards. Tuition costs $1,995.00, which includes the registration fee. To apply, visit our program page! 

What are the benefits of taking the CAPM exam? 

Our Project Management Online Certificate is an excellent path if you want to become a project manager. While you can find work after graduating from our certificate program, you have the option to take the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam to give yourself a leg up on the competition.

The CAPM will differentiate you as an employee as it recognizes your knowledge of the profession’s global standard. The certification can also help you gain more responsibility and progress faster in your career. 

Here are some things you should know about the CAPM exam: 

• The exam has 150 questions and you have three hours to complete it. 
• You must have a secondary degree to take the exam. This can be a high school diploma, associate’s degree or certifications such as those you’ll gain with us at Robertson. 
• You must have completed 23 hours of project management education by the time you write. This means you could take the CAPM exam while you’re still in our program.
• The exam costs approximately $300 CA for PMI members and $400 CA for non-members. 

What does a project manager’s day-to-day look like? 

If you’re a project manager, chances are every day will look a little different. It’s crucial to have excellent organizational skills as you’ll likely be managing a portfolio of projects and have to ensure each one is running smoothly and on schedule. 

Let’s go over the main tasks and responsibilities you would have working in a project manager role. 

1. Planning 

Before anything else can happen, project managers have to plan the timeline and structure of a project. The plan must achieve the project goals and align with the business (or client’s) strategy while meeting targets. It’s important to determine the scope of a project before beginning execution. This allows the project manager to delegate duties, plan finances and ensure the project is realistic.  

2. Assembling a team 

The work can’t get done unless there’s people who can do it. Project managers will assemble and oversee a team of coworkers who all have specific tasks and deadlines. It’s also the project manager’s responsibility to check in regularly with their team for status updates and provide support if they need help along the way. 

3. Monitoring progress

A large part of the day-to-day is monitoring project progress. The project manager must know which stage their projects are at so they can provide support if anything is running behind. 

4. Managing issues

Sometimes you’ll hit roadblocks during a project and the project manager will have to step in to help resolve it. It could be a missed deadline or exceeding a budget—whatever it is, the project manager will help any involved team members resolve the issue so the project can get back on track. 

5. Reporting 

Once a project is complete, it’s up to the project manager to document all necessary paperwork and ensure materials have been signed off and closed. The project manager will also report back to their team on the project’s success and anything that could be improved upon in the future. The project manager should also be checking in with their team during the different stages of the project—not just at the end.

What are some career opportunities in project management? 

There are opportunities to work as a project manager in many industries. While the common title is “project manager,” it can take many forms even if the roles are relatively the same. 

Here are some of the career opportunities and titles you can pursue if you’re interested in project management: 

• Project Manager
• Events Manager
• Events Coordinator
• Project Coordinator
• Account Coordinator
• Project Team Member

Today, there are many opportunities to work in project management in Canada. Here are some of the top job postings on Indeed:

Project Manager for Bridgewall Systems – Stonewall, MB

This project management role is related to commercial interior construction and Bridgewall Systems is looking for an individual with prior experience in that field. Along with standard project management tasks, you’d also get to work with drawings, samples and product data, coordinate installations and research vendors. This job is very specific to the construction industry. 

Environmental Project Manager for Millennium Land Ltd. – Lloydminster, SK

This role is for a land and environmental consulting company. The project manager should have a strong knowledge of Alberta and Saskatchewan regulations for assessing Oil & Gas and/or Renewable Energy Projects. The role involves plant surveying and health & safety planning.

Project Manager at Inovatec Systems Corporation – Burnaby, BC

Inovatec is a company that provides innovative software solutions for businesses in the automotive and finance industries. The project manager role involves collaborating with IT infrastructure teams and clients. 

As you can see, there are project management roles in plenty of industries: construction, environment, tech and more. Our 6-week program will give you a toolkit of valuable skills so you’ll be prepared for a project management career in any industry. 

If you have any questions on how to become a project manager, you can reach out and one of our Student Admissions Advisors will contact you with information!