Many management professionals in Thailand are beginning to recognize the value of obtaining PMP certification. With more than 660,000 PMPs around the world (~100,000 PMPs in China alone), Thailand ranks quite low in terms of the number of certificate holders (414 as of September 2015). This is primarily due to lack of awareness of the project management discipline and how its practice helps companies save costs while implementing projects.
If you are a Thai project manager, coordinator, or engineer and are considering to get certified, here are top five reasons to getting your PMP certification.
1. Get a world-renowned Project Management Organization to endorse your Skills and experience
PMI (Project Management Institute) is a renowned non-profit organization established more than 40 years ago, which focuses on the publication of standards including the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) – a leading standard dealing with Project Management. Getting a PMP certification through PMI and having them endorse you as a successful in your industry with more than 3-year experience adds a significant weight to your professional profile.
2. Stand out among the 1000s of managers in Thailand without any PMP certification
Many managers in Thailand come from the construction and engineering sectors. Many do not even know about PMI and many are not even familiar with the PMP certification. It won’t be long before competing managers (with PMI certifications) from the ASEAN Economic Community region (especially Singapore with more than 9000 PMP certificate holders) compete for jobs in similar industries in Thailand. Many companies are now bidding for large projects whereby owners require managers that are certified. With a PMP certification, Thai managers will surely have an added advantage over their competing counterparts from other regions.
3. Expand your career potential by applying to multinational corporations who recognize your certification
Many multinational corporations in Thailand are seeking locally certified Project Managers as they expand their reach locally and internationally. Certificate holders will have an added advantage as they are better able to compete for a position that requires working in diverse environments. Certified Thai PMPs are better communicators and are therefore preferably hired by multinational corporations seeking managers that can manage virtual teams.
4. Sharpen your project management knowledge
Thai managers may have the minimum experience required to execute projects but have never actually gone through formal training. By seeking to obtain a PMP certification and by attending a 35 hour formal training class on project management, they are better equipped with tools and techniques that should help them deal with multi-million THB deals.
5. Improve your career outreach by networking with certified professionals in your industry Thai managers should join the local PMI Chapter and network with professionals in their industry and other industries. By joining the Chapter and participating in its training events and activities, and by networking with professionals in similar industries, certified Thai PMPs have better opportunities for career development and growth.