Sunday, June 14, 2015

What is CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)

CAPM short for Certified Associate in Project Management, offered by PMI (Project Management Institute), is one of the most recognized certification in the area of project management. The master document for CAPM is PMBOK study guide. PMBOK stands for Project Management Body of Knowledge.  PMBOK had gone through several revisions over the past few years and continually evolving. The current edition of PMBOK guide is the 5th.

Note that CAPM requires a certain number of face-to-face training (also called contact hours) to successfully complete the certification requirements, in addition to the exam. You may also take the contact hours via the web by way of remote classes or webcast. Check with the official website for authorized contact hours providers.

To apply for CAPM, the candidate needs to have:

1, High School Diploma - that is completion of 12 years of schooling.
2. Atleast 1500 hour of project experience. This roughly equal to 6 months of full time job experience. OR
23 hours of project management education by the time the candidate appears for the exam.

Exam Fee:
The exam fee is $300. The exam typically consists of 150 questions and duration of exam is 3 hours.

Validity of Certification:

The certification is valid for a period of 5 years. You need to re certify after 5 year. If you pass next level of certification PMP, then the validity of CAPM is automatically extended by another 5 years.

How to prepare for CAPM?

It is suggested to prepare using multiple sources:
1. Study guides
2, Class room training or web based training (instructor led)
3. Practice tests
For study guides, you have PMBOK guide. You need to study the relevant chapters of the guide that is relevant to the exam topics. Another resource is CAPM handbook.

For Instructor led training, you may join a local CAPM class or take a web based course. Note that if you don't have enough experience, you may need to complete require number of hours of training. You will be required to provide the proof of having taking the training.

For PMP and CAPM practice tests, you may checkout:
 http://www.simulationexams.com/exam-details/pmp-examsim.htm

Individual may join PMI as members by paying the required fee. Student discounts apply. Membership is not essentials, though recommended for working pros and students.