Project Management Training

The right project management qualification depends on your role, the type of projects you work on, and how your organisation manages delivery.

Use these decision criteria to find the best fit:

• APM (Association for Project Management) – best for professionals who want broad project management knowledge and terminology recognised across industries, rather than training in one specific method.
• PRINCE2 – best for those new to project management or working in organisations with formal governance, defined project stages, and structured reporting. PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner are the two main certification levels.
• AgilePM – best for project professionals working alongside agile delivery teams who still need to manage time, cost, and governance expectations.
• PRINCE2 Agile – best for project managers who need PRINCE2 governance and agile delivery practices working together in the same environment.
• P3O – best for PMO professionals who need a practical model for setting up and running a portfolio, programme, or project office.
• Better Business Cases – best for project managers, business analysts, sponsors, and PMO teams who need a structured approach to building evidence-based business cases.
• AIPGF – best for leaders and delivery professionals responsible for the governance of AI-enabled projects or change initiatives.

If you are unsure which route suits you, Knowledge Train offers instructor-led and self-paced formats across all of these qualifications, with expert trainers available to advise before you book.

PRINCE2 and APM are both widely recognised project management qualifications, but they serve different purposes: PRINCE2 is a structured delivery method with defined roles and stages, while APM provides broad project management knowledge that applies across many industries and methods.

PRINCE2

PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a step-by-step method that gives project managers a defined set of roles, management stages, and controls for planning, reporting, and decision-making. It is particularly well suited to people new to project management and to professionals working in organisations with formal governance structures. PRINCE2 is available at Foundation and Practitioner levels.

APM qualifications

APM (Association for Project Management) qualifications are not tied to a single method. Instead, they build broad project management knowledge and terminology that employers recognise across sectors. APM is a strong choice for professionals who want a wider understanding of project management principles rather than training in one specific approach. The main routes include the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) and the APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ).

Which should you choose?

• Choose PRINCE2 if you need a practical method with clear controls, defined roles, and structured stages to plan and deliver projects.
• Choose APM if you want broader project management knowledge and industry-recognised terminology that applies across different roles and sectors.

Both qualifications are valued by UK employers. The right choice depends on your role, your organisation’s approach, and the depth of practical method knowledge you need.

Choose AgilePM if you work within agile delivery teams but still need to manage time, cost and governance; choose PRINCE2 Agile if your organisation already uses PRINCE2 and you need to blend its governance structure with agile delivery practices.

Both qualifications are aimed at project professionals and aspiring project managers, but they serve different working contexts. Here is how they compare:

• AgilePM is best for professionals working alongside agile delivery teams who need practical techniques for planning and managing agile projects while still meeting governance and reporting expectations. It does not require prior PRINCE2 knowledge.
• PRINCE2 Agile is best for professionals who already understand PRINCE2 – or are studying it – and want to learn how to tailor its defined roles, management stages and controls for agile delivery environments. It combines PRINCE2 governance with agile practices rather than replacing either.

Both qualifications are available at Foundation and Practitioner levels. If your organisation follows PRINCE2 processes and you need to introduce agile ways of working within that structure, PRINCE2 Agile is the more direct fit. If you are working in an agile context but PRINCE2 is not your organisation’s framework, AgilePM is the more appropriate starting point.

If you are unsure which route suits your role and organisation, Knowledge Train offers both qualifications with expert trainer support available throughout.

For most beginners, a Foundation qualification is the stronger starting point because it leads to a recognised certificate that employers value, whereas a workshop gives you practical skills quickly but without a formal credential.

Here is how to decide between the two routes:

• Choose a Foundation qualification if you want a certificate that signals competence to employers. Good options for complete beginners include PRINCE2 Foundation (no prerequisites, covers defined roles, stages and project controls), APM PFQ (broad project management knowledge and terminology across industries), and AgilePM Foundation (for agile delivery environments). All three have no formal entry requirements.
• Choose a workshop if your immediate priority is applying practical skills to a live project rather than gaining a qualification. Knowledge Train workshops award a Knowledge Train certificate rather than an accredited industry qualification, so they are better suited to people who need speed over credential.

If you are unsure which Foundation qualification fits your role or sector, the key distinction is this: PRINCE2 suits structured, governance-heavy environments; APM PFQ suits those wanting broad, methodology-neutral knowledge; and AgilePM Foundation suits teams working iteratively. All Foundation courses are available as instructor-led or self-paced options, so you can fit study around existing work commitments.

Workshops are a strong option when you need practical project management skills quickly and without the commitment of a formal qualification programme.

Knowledge Train’s project management workshops lead to a Knowledge Train certificate rather than an accredited qualification from a professional body. That distinction matters when you’re deciding which route to take:

• Choose a workshop if you want to build or refresh practical skills fast, your role doesn’t require a recognised accreditation, or you’re exploring project management before committing to a full qualification route.
• Choose a qualification if you need credentials that employers formally recognise – such as PRINCE2, APM, AgilePM, or PRINCE2 Agile – or if your organisation requires certified practitioners.

Workshops are not a like-for-like replacement for accredited qualifications. Employers hiring for project management roles often specify recognised certifications, so a Knowledge Train workshop certificate carries different weight in those contexts. However, for professionals who already hold qualifications and want to sharpen specific techniques, or for team members who need working knowledge without sitting exams, a workshop can deliver genuine practical value efficiently.

If you’re unsure which route suits your situation, comparing the qualification options alongside the workshop offer on Knowledge Train’s project management courses page is a useful starting point.

The time it takes to become PRINCE2 or APM qualified depends on the qualification level you choose and how you prefer to study.

PRINCE2 qualification durations

• PRINCE2 Foundation: 2 days (instructor-led) or approximately 20 hours (self-paced online)
• PRINCE2 Practitioner: 2 days or approximately 15 hours self-paced (requires PRINCE2 Foundation first)
• PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner combined: 4 days or approximately 35 hours self-paced – suited to beginners who want both certifications

APM qualification durations

• APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ): 2 days instructor-led or around 22 hours blended – suited to those new to project management
• APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ): 5 days instructor-led or around 40 hours blended – suited to practitioners with existing project experience

Both PRINCE2 and APM qualifications are available through instructor-led or self-paced delivery formats, so the total elapsed time varies depending on your schedule. Self-paced learners with Knowledge Train have 12 months of access, making it possible to fit study around work commitments.

If you need a qualification quickly, a PRINCE2 Foundation or APM PFQ course can be completed in as little as two days of structured training, with the exam typically taken at the end of the course.

Whether you need to complete the Foundation level before taking a Practitioner course depends on the specific qualification, and the rules do differ.

• PRINCE2: The PRINCE2 Practitioner course requires a PRINCE2 Foundation certificate (or an accepted equivalent). If you do not already hold Foundation, you can take a combined course that covers both levels and includes both exams.
• PRINCE2 Agile: The PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner course requires the PRINCE2 Agile Foundation certificate. Again, a combined course is available if you need to start from scratch.
• AgilePM: The AgilePM qualification also follows a Foundation-then-Practitioner structure. A combined option is available for those starting at the beginning.
• APM: The APM qualification route works differently. The APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) does not require the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) as a prerequisite – both have no formal entry requirements, so you can go directly to APM PMQ if your experience and knowledge level suits it.

In practice, most qualifications in the project management space use a tiered structure where Foundation provides the underpinning knowledge for Practitioner-level study. If you are unsure which level to start at, a combined course removes the decision entirely and is often the most cost-effective route for those new to a qualification.

There is no single project management qualification that all employers recognise above all others – the most valued qualification depends on the sector, the organisation’s working methods, and the type of role.

That said, three qualifications stand out in the UK job market:

• APM (Association for Project Management) – well recognised across industries for broad project management knowledge and professional terminology. A strong choice if you work across multiple sectors or want widely transferable credentials.
• PRINCE2 – widely used in organisations that run structured projects with defined governance, reporting stages, and formal controls. Particularly common in the public sector, IT, and large corporate environments.
• AgilePM – increasingly valued in organisations that use agile delivery methods, particularly where project managers need to maintain governance and manage time and cost alongside agile teams.

If your employer or prospective employer already uses a specific method – such as PRINCE2 – matching that qualification to the organisation’s framework is often the most practical decision. If you want broader recognition across industries, an APM qualification offers knowledge and terminology that travels well between sectors and roles.

For professionals working in PMO or governance roles, qualifications such as P3O or Better Business Cases may carry more weight than a delivery-focused certification.