Developing your APM Professional Portfolio

Developing your APM Professional Portfolio

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Page

Project management - a new professional standard 2

What is an APM Professional Portfolio? 2

Creating your APM Professional Portfolio 3

Building your APM Professional Portfolio 4

APM Professional Portfolio Log 6

Contents

To start creating your APM Professional Portfolio, you will need to assess yourself against the

APM Competence Framework. This will help you identify current and future needs in developing

your project management competence, help clarify your professional development requirements

and assist you in establishing your objectives for the coming year. Once you have carried out your

initial review, it is then a case of following these simple steps:

By following this process you will be able to build your APM Professional Portfolio into a full

record of your professional development, which will demonstrate your core strengths, show your

track record of development and validate your commitment to your profession and career. To

assist you in building your APM Professional Portfolio, a professional development log can be

found at the end of this document.

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Project management - a new professional standard

Project professionals make a direct contribution to our economy, environment and society

by managing effective change. They are set apart in their ability to demonstrate their:

l breadth of understanding as defined by the APM Body of Knowledge,

l depth of capability in line with the APM Competence Framework,

l achievement through professional qualifications and experience,

l commitment through Continuing Professional Development,

l accountability through APM membership and its code of conduct.

Project professionals are capable, accountable and committed. They work in all sectors and on all

types of projects and programmes, often experiencing unprecedented variety and a track-record

of achievement leading to exceptional job satisfaction, professional status and other rewards.

Now the Association for Project Management is in the process of creating a new professional

standard in project management; the Chartered Project Professional.

The creation of an APM Professional Portfolio will help you demonstrate your professionalism and,

in addition, prepare you for your application to become a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP).

Your APM Professional Portfolio provides a framework within which you can plan, undertake

and record your professional development. It is simple to do and recognises a wide variety of

development activities – on the job, in structured training or through more informal routes.

In addition it helps you:

l identify your knowledge, skills and competence

l consider where you would like to develop these areas further

l identify actions you should take to get you there

l build an APM Professional Portfolio that will improve your career prospects, widen your

horizons and challenge your views on project management and your profession.

Creating your APM Professional Portfolio

What is an APM Professional Portfolio?

Initial reviewl Assess current

competence level usingthe APM CompetenceFramework

1. Planl Identify the competences

requiring maintenanceand/or development

l Plan the CPD activities to beundertaken

3. Annual review

l Review outcome(s) ofdevelopment undertaken(including unplanned activities)

l Assess current competences formaintenance/development in thenext cycle

2. Dol Undertake the planned

activities

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Building your APM Professional Portfolio

There are many ways in which APM can support you in your professional development

activities including:

l Branch events

l Specific Interest Groups

l Project magazine

l APM Publishing publications

l APM professional qualifications

l Networking events, seminars and conferences

l Volunteering for the association

l International Journal of Project Management

l Access to the members area of the APM website

l APM Conference and Awards

For further information on professional development see the APM website or e-mail

cpd@apm.org.uk

Building your APM Professional Portfolio

APM states that project professionals are expected to undertake 35 hours of professional

development every year. APM full members should consider this part of their professional

obligation to clients and employers. ChPP’s will be required to undertake professional

development to maintain their professional status.

Professional development activities can be formal or informal.

Examples of formal activities include:

l Professional / academic qualifications

l Distance / online courses

l Conference / seminars / workshops

l Vocational training

l Employer / client mandated training

Examples of informal activities include:

l Shadowing

l Self-directed learning / research

l Exposure to new situations at work which require action

l Visiting other departments or organisations

l Sharing knowledge with others

l Volunteering for extra curricular activity

l Examining, tutoring or mentoring

l Contributing to further development of the profession

APM Professional Portfolio Log

Objective:

Objective:

Objective:

Objective:

Activity Planned start Completed Hours Outcome

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Association for Project Management