Programme management courses

More about the program manager role, training and certification

Programme management responsibilities

Program managers are responsible for coordinating multiple projects simultaneously using a structured process. Programs are complex undertakings that help improve a businesses’ performance. They rely on the output of two or more related projects, all of which must be managed and monitored to ensure a high-quality and consistent outcome from initiation to closure.

Responsibilities of a program manager may include:

• Monitoring the resources and outputs of each project in a programme.
• Managing the programme budget.
• Coordinating, balancing, and prioritizing resources across projects.
• Scheduling regular meetings with project managers and support staff.
• Creating detailed roadmaps to achieve programme goals.

Benefits of programme management training

Whether you are an experienced programme manager or are new to the role, it is always a good choice to invest in your career.

Choosing to enrol in a programme management course has several benefits:

1. If you are looking to secure a new role, or promotion, employers will generally favour candidates possessing a relevant qualification. Earning a programme management qualification shows that you are a go-getter, always looking for new opportunities.
2. Programme management courses teach you the tools and techniques needed to approach problems with confidence. Popular frameworks such as MSP^® are built on decades of investigation and feedback from professional programme managers. If you ever encounter a problem you cannot solve, professional training will give you the answers.
3. Completing a program management course and exam will award you with a recognised certification. A program management qualification on your CV shows employers and co-workers that you can make a positive contribution to their change programmes.

What is the best programme management training in the UK?

There are several programme management course providers in the UK. At Knowledge Train, we pride ourselves on the quality of and the expertise of our instructors.

What are the different types of programme management training?

You can take programme management training either as a live or virtual classroom course, or as a self-paced online course. For groups, in-house programme management training is also available.

Programme management courses (live or virtual classroom) are taught by industry experts and accredited training professionals. For those preferring to learn face-to-face with an experienced trainer, there is no better way to earn your certification!

In-house training is available if your programme management team require training. All in-house training is fully customizable so that your organisation’s needs are met.

What do I need to become a programme manager?

These are some of the skills, experience and qualifications employers might expect to find in a programme manager:

• Project management experience: Knowledge of project management tools and methodologies help programme managers better communicate with the many project managers they work alongside. Earning a relevant qualification is a good way to demonstrate your understanding of project management to employers.
• An intermediate, or advanced, programme management qualification: While entry-level qualifications are a great way of proving your general understanding of programme management, advanced qualifications show your ability to apply programme management best practices on programmes.
• Soft skills: Having great people skills is a must in a role that depends as heavily on communication as programme management.
• Hard skills: While the necessary technical skills required by programme managers may change from industry to industry, a good knowledge of the techniques used to plan, monitor, and control programmes is essential to achieve beneficial results. Earning a programme management qualification gives you a head-start, providing knowledge of programme management best-practices used by experts worldwide to ensure success.

Best programme management qualifications UK

There are several internationally recognized programme management qualifications. In the UK, the most popular programme management qualifications are those based on the best management practice MSP framework.

MSP helps ensure the delivery of transformational change through the application of tools and techniques drawn from the experiences of certified program managers. The MSP framework is based on three core concepts:

• Principles derived from lessons learned from programme experiences. They are the common factors that underpin the success of any programme.
• Rules of programme governance that help organizations assign leadership, create organization structures and give the best chance for success.
• ‘Transformational flow’ which helps guide the lifecycle of a programme from design to final delivery.

MSP offers 2 levels of program management qualifications. These are Foundation and Practitioner.

Foundation

The MSP Foundation certification introduces MSP methods and terminology. This entry-level programme management certification helps you work as part of a programme team.

MSP Foundation is invaluable for individuals interested in learning how to manage multiple projects and programmes successfully.

Practitioner

The MSP Practitioner certification is aimed at project managers, business change managers, and specialists who want to apply the MSP framework to real-life scenarios. It demonstrates your ability to understand and apply the MSP principles, governance themes, and transformational flow processes when managing a programme.

It is a must-have certification for professionals who need to deliver organizational value for their employers and advance their careers.

MSP is owned by AXELOS, a joint venture created in 2014 by the UK government to develop and manage qualifications formerly owned by the UK Office of Government Commerce.

AXELOS owns the PRINCE2^® and PRINCE2 Agile^® methods, two very popular project management frameworks with a long history of success in both the UK private and public sectors.

AXELOS products are most readily recognized by UK businesses and generally favoured over international qualifications such as the American, PMI – Program Management Professional (PgMP)^®.

What is included?

These programme management courses include:

• MSP examinations
• Digital copy of the official MSP manual – Managing Successful Programmes (for students on the MSP Foundation, or MSP Foundation & Practitioner courses)
• Expert tuition from highly experienced and expert programme management trainers
• High quality programme management training materials
• For virtual courses, access using state of the art virtual classroom technology.

Who should attend a programme management training course?

Programme management courses are suitable for:

• Project managers looking to move into programme management
• People affected by change programmes (e.g. functional operational managers)
• Change managers
• People supporting change programmes, including PMO staff
• Senior responsible owners (SROs).

You should attend a programme management course if you want to develop your existing programme management career or if you want to change careers into programme management.

Attending a programme management course will help you:

• learn the language of programme management
• communicate better with stakeholders and change team members
• develop your leadership skills
• learn programme management best practices
• be better able to achieve your programme’s expected benefits.

Even if you already have existing programme management experience and knowledge, earning your programme management qualification provides a good way to demonstrate your programme management competence to employers.

• People affected by change programmes (e.g. functional operational managers)
• Project managers looking to move into programme management.

Programme management certification

There are many reasons you might choose to earn a recognized programme management qualification. Experienced project managers often elect to earn a qualification as they progress to more senior roles within an organization. Programme management certification is also a great way to show your programme management skills to employers.

Programme management certification though is not just for those working as a program manager. Programmes require support staff, and a program management training course can help these staff gain the knowledge required to perform their new responsibilities.

Even if you are an experienced professional with decades of experience, the field of programme management evolves every year. New technologies, methods and frameworks are changing the way program managers work. Earning a recognized program management certification can help you learn new skills, giving you the information and tools required to approach program challenges confidently.