HIGH WYCOMBE, England - APMG-International is proud to announce it has formed a partnership with LINGOs* PM4NGOs (Project Management for Non Governmental Organisations) to develop a new certification scheme: PMD Pro (Project Management in Development Professional). The partnership is introducing a new range of certifications for those working in development for charities, humanitarian agencies or not-for-profit organizations.
PM4NGOs was created in March 2007 by NGO (non governmental organisations) practitioner members of LINGOs and interested members of the Project Management Institute. Most people that work for a charity are project managers, they often have significant responsibility for life-affecting (sometimes life-saving) projects, large financial budgets, and even larger opportunity costs. They manage many different types of projects, usually with limited training in professional project management concepts common in the commercial sector. They believed that improving project management practices could have significant impact on the effectiveness of aid.
Eric Berg, CEO, LINGOs, said. “Media and public scrutiny of NGOs’ performance following the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina caused many project management professionals from other sectors to question whether NGOs could be accountable or responsible stewards unless their project managers possessed the skills, and, arguably, certifications, which would be expected in other sectors for comparable levels of responsibility.”
A working group, comprising 12 well-known international NGOs, was established, partly supported and funded by PMI’s Educational Foundation and assisted by volunteers from the private sector. A survey of the working group indicated that between them, they employed around 15,000 project managers with annual project budgets of $4.74bn.
“Hence in just these 12 NGOs, a 1% improvement in effectiveness would yield an additional $47m to spend on projects per year. The impact in terms of quality improvement would be even higher,” Berg said.
PM4NGOs approached APMG-International, which is responsible for the PRINCE2 examinations and certifications, to see if APMG could offer its experience in running qualification schemes in the programme and project management disciplines.
Richard Pharro, CEO, APMG, said: “From the first meeting with PM4NGOs, we knew this was something we’d like to be involved with. Our experience in running accreditation schemes on behalf of OGC puts us in the ideal place to be able to help PM4NGOs. We are very excited about being able to make a difference where it counts, and have begun work on drawing up a new bespoke qualification scheme for NGOs who are involved with projects.”
Eric Berg said, “Most people that work for a charity are project managers. They manage many different types of projects, usually with limited training in professional project management concepts common in the commercial sector. After years of talking about developing exams for project management in the NGO/Non-profit industry, APMG is the first accreditation company EVER to step up and do something about it.’
APMG is creating a multilevel certification scheme. Examinations and training courses will be available on line. The Syllabi will be built around the current PM4NGO on line training course and will be available in a variety of languages. It is being drawn up with extensive input from PM4NGO members and will be discussed at two summit meetings in London, UK, and Washington DC in September 2009. Following feedback from the NGO community, the scheme is expected to be live in early 2010.
Further information
*About Learning for International NGOs (LINGOs):
LINGOs is a consortium of over 40 international humanitarian relief, development, conservation and health organizations that share learning resources and experiences. By providing the latest learning technologies and courses from our partners, LINGOs helps these non profits to increase the skill levels of their employees, and therefore increasing the impact of their programs.
www.lingos.org
About APMG International
APMG-International is a global examination institute accredited by The APM Group, OGC’s official Accreditor. Our portfolio of qualifications includes PRINCE2, MSP, MoR and P3O. Our Accredited Training Organisations have gone through the most rigorous assessment process in the industry. Our commitment to high standards means that all candidates can be assured the certification they have earned is consistent with every other candidate.
www.apmg-uk.com
About PM4NGOs
PM4NGOs aims to optimize international NGO project investments by enabling project managers to be reflective, professional practitioners who learn, operate and adapt effectively in complex project environments. As a group of international relief, development, and conservation organizations, PM4NGOs works together and collaborates with private sector companies, professional organizations, and universities to achieve this goal.
www.ngolearning.org
Source: APMG-International
Kate Winter, Telephone +44(0)1494-452-450, Email: kate.winter at apmgroup.co.uk
Related Press Releases
It's Official: IT Pros are Working Longer Hours Than EverSeptember 21st, 2009 LONDON -
- 35 Percent of Techies are Working More Than 48 Hours Per Week, and 7.3 Percent Claim Between 60 to 75 Hours, According to The IT Job Board
According to the latest piece of research[1] from The IT Job Board, www.theitjobboard.co.uk, 35 percent of techies are working for 48 hours or more per week. This compares to a figure of 33 percent in the same survey carried out in August, 2008[2].
DBD Media Launches SEO ExpressSeptember 21st, 2009 LONDON -
- Professional, Cost Effective Search Engine Optimisation Service for Companies With Limited Budgets
Search engine marketing specialist, DBD Media (www.dbdmedia.co.uk) , today launches SEO Express (www:seo-express.co.uk), a new service aimed at companies with limited marketing budgets. SEO Express delivers professional and cost effective search engine optimisation (SEO) consultancy and management to smaller companies that want to boost their search engine visibility and gain market share.
QAI Crosses the 35,000 Mark in Software CertificationsJuly 20th, 2009 ORLANDO -
- Individuals Certified in 43 Countries, Organizations Sending Employees in Large Numbers
The QAI Global Institute (www.qaiglobalinstitute.com), after having established the international standard for Software Quality and Software Testing Certifications including the Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA) and Certified Software Tester (CSTE), announced that they have certified in excess of 35,000 professionals worldwide in 43 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, Thailand, Philippines and the US. Also, the partnership between QAI and Prometric allows the software certifications to be available in 135 countries, thereby increasing the reach and frequency of the examination even more, making them market leaders in this space.
Freestyle Interactive Launches Major New Website for Paris-Based International Aerospace Giant ThalesJuly 13th, 2009 WARWICK, England - Paris-based Thales, a world leader in mission-critical information systems for aerospace and space, defence & security markets, has re-launched its website www.thalesgroup.com following a major redesign and development project by Warwick-based Freestyle Interactive - one of Top 100 digital agencies in the UK and the biggest in the Midlands. The work was awarded to Freestyle Interactive following a five-way competitive pitch which included pan-European agencies.
Almost Three Quarters of Techies Say it is Taking Longer to Find Work in the Current ClimateJune 14th, 2009 LONDON - Latest Survey From the IT Job Board Highlights Today's Employment Pressures
Almost three quarters (74 percent) of IT candidates believe that it is taking longer to find a job in the current climate, according to the latest piece of research[1] from The IT Job Board, www.theitjobboard.co.uk. And 58 percent of those surveyed stated that, because of the economic situation, they were becoming less selective about the types of jobs they are applying for.
Graduates: "Be Your Best"June 2nd, 2009 LONDON - IT Jobs for Graduates Launches Comprehensive Recession-Busting Advice Programme for Future IT pros
IT Jobs for Graduates, www.itjobsforgraduates.com, has launched an initiative called 'Be Your Best', beyourbest.itjobsforgraduates.com, offering job hunting tips and advice for IT graduates and students during the current economic downturn. The first site dedicated to IT recruitment for interns and graduates, IT Jobs for Graduates works with some of the UK's leading employers and IT recruitment agencies, helping candidates to find the right jobs.
75 Percent of Recruiters Believe Candidates With IT Certifications are More Employable, Finds The IT Job BoardMay 14th, 2009 LONDON - Online Recruitment Specialist Carries out Industry Survey
75 percent of recruiters believe that IT candidates with additional qualifications stand a better chance of securing a job, according to a recent survey[1] undertaken by The IT Job Board - www.theitjobboard.co.uk. This finding was also supported by the candidate response, where 84 percent of IT professionals consider that holding industry certifications will improve their employment opportunities.
More Than Two Thirds of Techies are Happy in Their WorkApril 22nd, 2009 LONDON - Research From the IT Job Board Confirms Public Sector is Growing in Popularity
More than two thirds (71 percent) of techies are happy working in their chosen sector, according to research(1) carried out by The IT Job Board, www.theitjobboard.co.uk. For the 29 percent who are not content with the industry they work in, nearly half (49 percent) would prefer to work in software and IT services, and 30 percent advised that they would rather choose IT jobs in the public sector.
Size Matters - The IT Job Board Finds That Almost Two Thirds of Techies Think Small Companies are Suffering More in the Current ClimateApril 1st, 2009 LONDON - 60 percent of UK techies believe that small companies are suffering more in the current economic climate. This is the latest headline finding from research[1] undertaken by The IT Job Board, www.theitjobboard.co.uk.
CDMA Certification Forum to Certify CDMA2000/LTE Multimode DevicesMarch 29th, 2009 LAS VEGAS - Common Testing and Acceptance Practices Will Ensure CDMA2000 Operators
Are Among the First to Deploy LTE
The CDMA Certification Forum(R) (CCF) today announced it is working
directly with several operators and vendors from around the world to meet
their requirements for testing and certifying LTE devices and their
aggressive LTE network deployment schedules. The testing and acceptance of
CDMA2000(R)/LTE multimode devices will abide by the specifications outlined
by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and 3rd Generation
Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2).
Related News
Pitt, Jolie's first Hurricane Katrina relief homes open in New OrleansJanuary 1st, 2009 LONDON - Survivors of the Hurricane Katrina have moved into the first of the six eco-friendly homes paid for by Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. According to mirror.co.uk, the couple set up the foundation - Make it Right - with 3.5 million pounds of their own money following the 2005 disaster.
'Blues Brother' actor on mission to help New Orleans' neighborhood rebuild after KatrinaApril 22nd, 2009 Aykroyd visits New Orleans rebuilding project siteNEW ORLEANS — Add Dan Aykroyd's name to the list of celebrities helping New Orleans rebuild neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The actor on Wednesday toured an area where developers plan to build homes for police officers, firefighters and other "first responders" on 21 storm-battered properties in the Gentilly neighborhood.
FEMA nominee promises Senate panel to improve disaster response at the agencyApril 22nd, 2009 FEMA nominee promises to improve responseWASHINGTON — The president's nominee to lead the nation's disaster response agency said he will hold the agency to a much higher standard than how it demonstrated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In testimony prepared for his confirmation hearing Wednesday, Craig Fugate said the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes would no longer be the benchmark for performance under his watch at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
5 years later Hurricane Ivan's terrible blow to Gulf lost to national memory, but pain lingersSeptember 15th, 2009 Ivan the terrible? Gulf storm forgotten by manyGULF SHORES, Ala. — Hurricane Ivan is recalled by weather experts as the most powerful storm to approach the Gulf of Mexico from the southeast when it took aim at the Alabama and northwest Florida coasts in September of 2004.
Obama announces mid-October visit to Gulf Coast, his first to areas hit by Hurricane KatrinaSeptember 30th, 2009 Obama announces mid-October visit to Gulf CoastWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Tuesday he'll visit the Hurricane Katrina-damaged Gulf Coast by mid-October. Such a trip would fulfill Obama's promise to visit the region by the end of his first year in office.
Obama stresses need for planning, preparation in hurricane-prone areas; gov't there to helpMay 29th, 2009 Obama: Residents must prepare for hurricanesWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama urged residents of hurricane-prone communities on Friday to take responsibility for their own safety and start planning now. Hurricane season officially begins Monday.
Agreement on revised Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project signedAugust 13th, 2009 CHENNAI - An agreement relating to the revised "Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project" was signed on Thursday in Chennai. The agreement was signed by the Union Government, the World Bank, Tamil Nadu Government, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Louisiana Republican blocking Obama's FEMA nominee over lingering concerns from KatrinaMay 5th, 2009 Senator blocking Obama's FEMA nomineeWASHINGTON — Hurricane season starts in just a few weeks, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency remains without a leader as a Louisiana Republican senator is blocking the White House's nominee over lingering concerns from Hurricane Katrina. Sen. David Vitter said Tuesday he is standing by the hold he placed on President Barack Obama's choice to lead FEMA.
Government inefficiency places people in coastal zones at risk from tsunamisJuly 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of international experts has determined that governments have largely failed to seriously implement integrated management in coastal zones, placing people at risk of disasters such as hurricane Katrina and the Banda Aceh tsunami. This was the conclusion of 40 international experts from wide ranging disciplines including economics, social sciences and natural sciences who met for an intensive, 5 day workshop near Oslo, Norway.
Republican senator agrees to lift hold on Obama's FEMA nominee, quick confirmation expectedMay 12th, 2009 Republican agrees to lift nold on FEMA nomineeWASHINGTON — A Louisiana Republican agreed Tuesday to stop blocking the White House's pick to lead FEMA amid bipartisan criticism that he was leaving the agency vulnerable just a few weeks away from hurricane season. Sen. David Vitter had put a hold on confirming Craig Fugate at the Federal Emergency Management Agency until FEMA officials provided answers on several lingering questions involving Hurricane Katrina rebuilding.
