Project Manager Certification

Anyone have comments and recommendations for Project Manager Certifications in the Engineering/Construction Field? I got an email about ASCE's certification program and it got me interested. 

Hemi, Hemi, Hemi.  :disappointed: 

I have a PMP. Only reason I got it was because the company was willing to pay for it. Hasn't been particularly helpful, but I have seen a growing number of employers looking for it.

Now I'm stuck with 20 PDH's a year to keep it. In the meantime, I'll keep PMP'n my PE-ness...

ptatohed said:

Hemi, Hemi, Hemi.  :disappointed: 

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LMAO!!! What!?!?!? I thought to my self, "for sure, @ptatohed aint gonna mess with my post this time!" Aaaaaaan yet here we are!!  :angry:

Dexman PE PMP said:

I have a PMP. Only reason I got it was because the company was willing to pay for it. Hasn't been particularly helpful, but I have seen a growing number of employers looking for it.

Now I'm stuck with 20 PDH's a year to keep it. In the meantime, I'll keep PMP'n my PE-ness...

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You don't find it helpful for project management? Where did you get it? I'm worried my PE isn't coming to me soon and I'm hoping this will help me grow in the construction area. Wait.....20 (twenty) PDH's???!? 

The PMP is very academic and "in a perfect world" scenario. The instructor of the required class before the exam told us flat out to "forget everything we know" about how we do management. Very structured. Task A, then task B, then task C, then... And each role is filled by one person dedicated to that project. We all know tasks run concurrently and out of order, people fill multiple roles and do multiple projects, etc.

It was helpful to be able to deconstruct things to see how each specific task should be done and role performed, but doesn't go very far in showing how to handle the real world. It would be more applicable if you're managing very large projects, but by the time you're managing those projects you've been at it for a fairly long time and don't need a certification to tell you how to do it.

The PMP renewal is expensive, right?

ptatohed said:

The PMP renewal is expensive, right?

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I renewed mine for $60 (PMI member rate).  I also got all my CEU's for free.  The whole PMP Continuing Education is a huge money grab and there are thousands of providers trying to separate you from your money.  If you go the PMP route, join PMI for the first year, then don't renew it.  Benefits include:

1.  Reduced Exam fee

2.  Free Access to webinars from https://www.projectmanagement.com/  for CEU's that are automatically uploaded into the PMI CEU dashboard

3.  Reduced renewal rate as long as you are a member.

I don't need to renew or have my CEU's done now until October 2022. 

Hemi79 said:

Anyone have comments and recommendations for Project Manager Certifications in the Engineering/Construction Field? I got an email about ASCE's certification program and it got me interested. 

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Hemi,

I am a PMP, CPC, and a CCM.  Read some of the some subforum's here and see what interests you.  There is a lot of info here on the PMP and I have done writeups on the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) and Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) certifications.

If you have any questions about these certifications let me kn ow and I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Hemi79 said:

LMAO!!! What!?!?!? I thought to my self, "for sure, @ptatohed aint gonna mess with my post this time!" Aaaaaaan yet here we are!!  :angry:

You don't find it helpful for project management? Where did you get it? I'm worried my PE isn't coming to me soon and I'm hoping this will help me grow in the construction area. Wait.....20 (twenty) PDH's???!? 

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For the PMP you need 60 CEU's in three years.  I got mine by watching webinars at lunch or in airport and listening to FREE podcasts when I was working out, hiking, doing yardwork, background noise, etc.

I will do a write up about getting free CEU's for the PMP when I get around to it soon.

ruggercsc said:

For the PMP you need 60 CEU's in three years.  I got mine by watching webinars at lunch or in airport and listening to FREE podcasts when I was working out, hiking, doing yardwork, background noise, etc.

I will do a write up about getting free CEU's for the PMP when I get around to it soon.

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Thanks for the info! I'm definitely looking into the CCM or CPC. I've been doing construction for years now, but I've been getting more work form municipalities, as apposed to private sector, and I want to better communicate with them. A lot of my experience also comes from the sub contractor area. Recently I've taken on light commercial work as a GC. I will follow the links on your post explaining the different options and probably come back here with a couple more questions. 

Yeah, be sure to also document any training you do through work (both formal classes and informal "lunch and learns"). You get credit for all of it. It hasn't cost me any money, but it is one more think to keep track of.

Obtained my PMP today.  My employer requires all Project Mangers to be certified before year end or lose 25% of all future performance bonuses.  Other PM's in my same age bracket (I am nearly 62) are electing to retire rather than Study & Test to become Certified but I don't have enough seniority at this company to do that.  My 30-year old co-workers got three months of no job assignments so they could study for the exam, and they got all books and study aids purchased for them.  I had to buy my own study materials, study on my own time, and pick up extra job assignments due to their No Assignments.

Do you think the company is trying to get rid of older workers?  Doesn't matter, I will be retiring in about 2 years anyway.

MI-Roger said:

Obtained my PMP today.  My employer requires all Project Mangers to be certified before year end or lose 25% of all future performance bonuses.  Other PM's in my same age bracket (I am nearly 62) are electing to retire rather than Study & Test to become Certified but I don't have enough seniority at this company to do that.  My 30-year old co-workers got three months of no job assignments so they could study for the exam, and they got all books and study aids purchased for them.  I had to buy my own study materials, study on my own time, and pick up extra job assignments due to their No Assignments.

Do you think the company is trying to get rid of older workers?  Doesn't matter, I will be retiring in about 2 years anyway.

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Wow! That's crazy. Doesn't sound fair at all, if you ask me. Will you be reimbursed for your study materials?

civilrobot said:

Wow! That's crazy. Doesn't sound fair at all, if you ask me. Will you be reimbursed for your study materials?

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I bought the Rita Book only.  Found it on eBay for around $25 IIRC (cheapest Ver. 8 they had listed back in summer of 2017).  I have paid more for less so the cost of the book is no big deal.  I am sure glad they paid for my PMI and Test Fees.  Those were around $600 total.  Wow!

MI-Roger said:

I bought the Rita Book only.  Found it on eBay for around $25 IIRC (cheapest Ver. 8 they had listed back in summer of 2017).  I have paid more for less so the cost of the book is no big deal.  I am sure glad they paid for my PMI and Test Fees.  Those were around $600 total.  Wow!

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Well I'm glad it worked out for you.  Congratulations on passing the exam!