Importance of CAPM:
When you acquire a Certified Associate Project Management (CAPM) certificate, you get an internationally recognized qualification in project management. This certificate is accredited by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is recognized by many large corporations. CAPM certified persons can often able to apply for more jobs and qualify for better salaries than fellow workers in the industry.
This certification is for newcomers in the field of project management who have a school leaver’s diploma and 23 hours of formal training in the field. Workers actively working in the field may also enroll if they have a school leaver’s diploma and at least 1500 hours practical experience.
There is a specific path that must be followed in order to obtain certification. All of the material is available online. From the day you start you application you have 90 days, after which your application undergoes a 24 hour review process.
After you have paid your examination fees ($225 / 185 for PMI members, and $300 / 250 for non-members) you can either to a CBT or paper-based multi-choice examination at an approved Prometric examination centre. There are a number of these examination centers throughout the world. To prepare for the examination there are resources on the PMI website. These include the CAPM credential book, sample questions and you can do a mock-up of the examination called the PMI fundamentals CAPM examination.
There is an auditing process which takes 90 days, after which you are assessed with a 5 to 7 day review. You are allowed to rewrite your examination twice at a cost of $150 / 125 for PMI members and $200 / 170 for non-members). Your certification is valid for a 5 year cycle, after when you need to renew you certification by sitting another examination. The price of this examination is $225 / 185 for PMI members and $300 / 200 for non-members. If you are required to rewrite your renewal examination, then the following costs are applicable: $150 / 125 for PMI members and $200 / 170 for non-members. 6-8 weeks after passing your examination you will receive a welcoming letter, maintenance and renewal information and your certificate. The details of all certified professionals are entered into a public online registry.
