Austin professional re-boots his career with PMP boot camp

In 2020, millions of Americans have lost jobs, with no certainty that many of those positions will ever come back on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even for those who have retained jobs, the economic shakeup nationally has moved them to action as they take steps that strengthen their long-term career prospects.

Case in point: technology consultant Steve Bishop of Austin.

In May, he enrolled in a four-day Project Management Professional (PMP) boot camp operated by EdWel Programs. Though the training was virtual—as with so much in day-to-day life during the pandemic—Bishop was impressed with the caliber of EdWel instruction.

“The EdWel team was engaged, really jumped in, and were very easy to work with,” he said. “I am someone who really needs a boot camp—I paid for it out of my own pocket and that forced me to study, and commit to a timeline, and take the test.”

The day after his boot camp concluded, Bishop took the PMP exam.

Beyond learning an array of relevant facts, Bishop benefited from overarching counsel provided by his EdWel instructor.

“For example, if I missed the first few questions, he said that I should not get into a funk,” Bishop said. “He put me at ease more than I would’ve been without his input. He emphasized focusing on the most important principles to remember and not spending too much time on any given topic.”

Another key point from the instructor was to narrow down possible answers to “what seemed to be the most proactive response,” he said.

For those considering enrolling in a boot camp, Bishop called it “the most efficient way to go.”

“More important than anything else is focusing,” he said. “It’s such a broad topic, and the EdWel instructor really drives home the important topics you need to know.”

Bishop has been doing program management for eight years and project management for six years before that. In the government world, to get a contract, a project manager must have a PMP, so the designation sets apart Bishop in the marketplace.

“With the certification on top of my experience, I have that security of knowing if ever I am in need of a job, that it’s there,” he said. “It’s definitely a through-the-door certification. It has given me a peace of mind knowing I am not going to have a problem getting a job now.”

Bishop’s experience reflects surging interest among project managers nationally to obtain their PMP certification, said EdWel founder Mike Welles.

Project management is a fast-growing field, a trend detected by a 2017 Anderson Economic Group (AEG) analysis commissioned by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The analysis forecast that employers globally will see a growth of 22 million new jobs in the field over a 10-year span, with nearly 88 million individuals overall in project management-oriented roles by 2027.

For project management professionals, nothing opens the door to an interview and offer faster than certification, according to Welles. For those who are in a job or career transition, displacement can be discouraging—but can also represent opportunity, he advised.

“Keep a positive outlook,” Welles said. “It is easy to feel lost or disjointed with all the tumult caused by COVID-19. Let the labor market adjust and come back to you. Just be ready when it does happen—and having a PMP in your back pocket is one great way to prepare.”

About EdWel Programs

Since 1992, the adult-education and training firm has helped more than 25,000 boot camp graduates work toward PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.

With training sites in nearly 20 U.S. cities, the industry leader’s training program is so effective that some students have attained key certification within a few days of completion of its intensive boot camp course. For more information, visit www.edwel.com.