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Project management triggers the thoughts of us all

At present, the industry of project management is faced with an interesting scenario.


Johannesburg, 23 Jan 2011

This debacle all started at the PMSA 2010 Conference, in September. Services Sita CEO Ivor Blumenthal and Paul Giammalvo engaged in the debate that whet the appetite of every delegate present at the conference. The debate was formed around whether project management is a profession or a skills-based occupation? However, this plate was left empty and left us all hungry for answers.

Let us define what a “profession” is. According to the Greenwich English Dictionary, a profession is defined as: “The act of professing; declaration; vocation, such as medicine, law, etc, and the body of persons engaged in such calling.” Furthermore, a “professional” is defined as: “Pertaining to a profession, a member of any profession, one who makes a living by arts, sports etc... In which amateurs engage.”

Now let us dwell on the path that project management is a profession. There would be a formal degree in place set out by the Department of Education; the profession will need a licence as well as an acting body. This is where project management is heading. If we took a look at a “skills-based” occupation, we will see this type of skill set is determined through a small course that follows in acquiring a trade and off you go to gain experience and produce a shopping centre when you get given a block of wood and a pocket knife. Highly unlikely, but isn't that where project management is currently?

If project management were to burst into the professional status it wishes to see, we could be faced with a “small fish in a big pond” scenario. The government and bodies representing project management will need to submit a formal application to the Department of Education and to engage in discussion for licensing of project managers in South Africa. As well as formalising a career path for all future project managers, this is the area in which the universities and further education training providers can enforce the chosen career paths by the DOE, but the question raised now is:

What will happen to the current project managers? Will they been phased out? As a project manager, you are conditioned to take into account lessons learnt and historical information before embarking on any project. Having this in mind to move forward as a profession, project management will have to consider the obstacles and timeframes it took human resources management to rise above a “skills-based” occupation and trigger the processes that moved it into a “profession”.

No doubt we have all heard the debate, and each of us has our own opinion on this topic, but PMSA (project management South Africa), which is the representing body of project management in South Africa, will no doubt support this movement towards professionalism and create and maintain the platform in the industry that will make project management thrive. This is exciting, but I leave you with another question left unanswered, what is to come of project managers worldwide? Will the world learn from us? And will South Africa be the benchmark of project managers worldwide? I can't wait to see.

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Editorial contacts

Gareth Langley
Triniti Business Solutions
(083) 473 7450
gareth@triniti.co.za