Project management careers are in demand in areas such as telecom, finance, healthcare and more, according to the Project Management Institute’s jobs report.
Early this year, the Project Management Institute released their annual Jobs Report article, as a part of their PM Network magazine. The article, written by Kate Rockwood, takes an in-depth look at the current global economy, the talent gaps, and the outlook for project management careers. In this article, we’ll recap the Jobs Report, broken down by industry sectors, and share some of SPC’s resources that could help you land a job in the field.
Learn more about why you need a certification in project management.
Project Management Careers: Telecom Sector
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the telecom industry is booming. This is largely because companies are looking to push mobile connectivity. This boom spreads to all types of telecom sectors, including companies that manufacture devices, the network carriers, and the actual telecom infrastructure companies, according to Deloitte’s 2017 Telecommunications Industry Outlook.
According to Manuel Salero Coca, PMP, program manager director, Latin America, Huawei Technologies Co., Mexico City, Mexico, “Telecom organizations are increasingly looking for project managers who are masters of change management, transformation and agile approaches. The best thing that project managers can do today to get hired is to learn about adjacent industries and practices and be open and flexible enough in their skills to drive projects that might look radically different than ones they’ve managed in the past.”
Project Management Careers: Finance Sector
A 2017 survey done by Accenture indicated that “the right talent is sorely needed to provide value from projects” in the financial industry. According to the Jobs Report, “80 percent of financial services organizations (are) investing significantly or moderately in new digital technologies or channels” and “nearly 30 percent of financial services executives believe traditional financial institutions will be the most disruptive entity over the next five years, while startups are launching more fintech projects that focus on personal loans and personal finance,” as indicated by a 2017 PwC study.
Project Management Careers: Construction Sector
In 2016, this sector was quite tepid. However, the pace picked up in 2017 and the Jobs Report anticipates that pace will continue in 2018. Although this is good news, there is a major talent challenge in this sector. “24 out of 43 markets are suffering a skills shortage, up from 20 markets last year. Organizations in the 11 countries surveyed will need to fill an additional 9.7 million project-oriented positions through 2027 within the construction and manufacturing sector,” PMI’s Talent Gap report predicts.
To find out more information about SPC Workforce Institute’s manufacturing training programs, please click here.
Project Management Careers: IT Sector
A large portion of the IT section of this article focuses on cybersecurity and data breaches, given the current climate and regular occurrence of major threats to data. Cisco’s 2017 Annual Cybersecurity Report indicated that “over the past 10 years, the volume of vulnerability alerts has climbed 33 percent” and “more than one-third of organizations that experienced a breach reported customer opportunity or revenue loss of more than 20 percent.”
Due to the increased risk to security, the Cisco survey indicates “90 percent of organizations that faced recent threats have or are now launching projects to improve defenses.” With such a large increase in security-related projects, there is bound to be some shortages when it comes to staffing skilled project-related staff. The PMI Jobs Report states that “nearly 75 percent of IT organizations say that recruiting for these initiatives is tough.”
To find out more about SPC Workforce Institute’s IT training, please click here.
Project Management Careers: Healthcare Sector
Although the healthcare industry has dealt with complex issues in recent years, healthcare had the biggest percentage increase in project-oriented jobs from 2017-2027 with an increase of 17 percent in job openings, according to the PMI Talent Gap Report.
Another important point noted in the Jobs Report is the importance of IT becoming increasingly important in healthcare. They indicate that this can be related to members of society being more interested in quick access to their records and data, such as filling medications in an app or using telemedicine for follow-up visits. This demand proves that individuals who have a mix of both healthcare and IT experience are of utmost value in project-related healthcare positions.
Project Management Careers: Aerospace and Defense
Although there has been an increase in defense projects and commercial aircraft production over the last year, the Jobs Report indicates that project managers in this sector should also be aware of possible increases in job opportunities related to drone projects (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or unmanned aircraft systems). The report states that “by 2020, the drone market will hit US$100 billion, driven largely by their leap to the consumer market and their applications in everything from farming and firefighting to retail delivery and hobby flights.”
To find out more information on the SPC Workforce Institute’s drone training, please click here.
Resources for Project Management Careers
As we take all the information we learned in the 2018 PMI Jobs Report and couple it with the increase in project management careers in Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, it’s easy to be interested in starting or advancing in this area. One of the best ways to do this is by getting project management specific training and earning one of PMI’s certifications, such as the Project Management Professional (PMP).
That’s where St. Petersburg College comes in.
- If you’re not looking for a degree:
Project Management Fundamentals (Non-Degree) Training
Offered by: SPC’s Workforce Institute
Click here for more information
PMP/CAPM Project Management Certification Exam Prep Course (Non-Degree)
Offered by: SPC’s Workforce Institute
Click here for more information
- If you’re looking for a degree
Project Management Bachelor’s Certificate
Click here for more information
About SPC’s Workforce Institute
At SPC’s Workforce Institute, we pride ourselves in offering a trusted suite of services and options that are affordable and accessible to both individuals and organizations.
For goal-oriented individuals and businesses committed to accelerated professional growth, the Workforce Institute offers training, continuing education, industry certifications, licensures and career pathways. Our industry experts teach you the skills that local employers are looking for to get ahead in project management careers and many other fields.
Benefits of Workforce Institute programs
Through our workforce programs, you can:
- Complete courses in as little as a few hours or opt for more extensive training
- Update current skills
- Earn Continuing Education Units (CEU)/Professional Development Units (PDU)
- Participate in one of our exam prep courses for in-demand certifications
- Earn industry certifications in just a few weeks
- Continue into a degree program at SPC
- Obtain new skills through certificate programs
- Learn a new language
To learn more about SPC’s Workforce Institute, please click here or call (727) 341-4445.
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