Are you looking at what PRINCE2 ® (PRojects IN a Controlled Environment) certificate you should get? There are a few options to consider, and it’s worth making the right choice, so you don’t waste time and money studying for something that isn’t going to help your career.
I’ve taken the PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner exams in the past so let me share my experiences and research.
There are 4 PRINCE2 certificates:
- PRINCE2 Foundation (6th Edition)
- PRINCE2 Practitioner (6th Edition)
- PRINCE2 Agile Foundation
- PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner.
PRINCE2 has its roots in the UK public sector and government but is now used and loved around the world. It’s big in the UK and Europe, as well as other English-speaking nations. But it’s not as well-known in the United States, where the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certificate from PMI, the Project Management Institute, has the largest market share.
So which of the certificates is going to best help you hit your career goals?
Which PRINCE2 course is best?
I have reviewed a lot of PRINCE2 courses, and the training from Management Plaza is the best.
But if you wanted to know which PRINCE2 certification is best, then that’s the wrong question to be asking.
Each of the PRINCE2 qualifications is designed for a different audience, so each one is best for someone!
Choosing the right certification is important. If you are working as a project manager, then you’ll need at least Practitioner (in my opinion).
A project support professional may not need the full Practitioner qualification as they may not be in a role where applying the knowledge is required. Someone in an Agile environment will benefit most from the Agile version as it is the best fit for their working practices.
The table below shows the main differences between the different PRINCE2 certifications.
| Foundation | Practitioner | Agile Foundation | Agile Practitioner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-requisites | None | Foundation | None | Agile Foundation or PRINCE2 Foundation |
| Content | Project management fundamentals, terminology, processes, themes, principles | Ability to apply project management techniques in context | Agile fundamentals, concepts, techniques and governance | Ability to apply agile principles to real-world projects in context |
| Exam covers | Knowledge-based questions | Context-based questions using project scenarios | Knowledge-based questions | Context-based questions using project scenarios |
| My recommended training course | This one | This one | This one | This one |
| Best for | Project support professionals, project team members | Project managers | Agile project team members | Project managers working in an agile or hybrid environment |
| Alternatives | Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) Project Fundamentals Qualification (PMQ) | Project Management Professional (PMP®) Project Management Qualification (PMQ) | Certified ScrumMaster® | PMI Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP®) Advanced Certified ScrumMaster® |
All the courses and certificates are suitable for any industry sector. They all help you learn how to manage a project lifecycle through controllable stages and implement appropriate governance, including a project board .
Is the PRINCE2 certification worth it?
All the qualifications in the PRINCE2 ecosystem are worth it for people working in projects. There is always room to learn more and different techniques.
Holding a PRINCE2 certificate may help you get a job. Employers do look favourably on project managers who have sat professional exams because they validate your experience, capabilities, and skills.
The training and certificate are also worth doing because you get better at your job. We’re all judged on whether we deliver successful projects. If going through a course helps improve your project management practices, then it’s worth doing.
In summary, yes, it is worth it, but make sure you take a 6th Edition course as the 5th Edition is no longer the latest version.
Who is PRINCE2 best for?
PRINCE2 is one of the most popular project management certifications globally. In my view, it’s best for:
- Project managers joining companies that use PRINCE2 as their main methodology
- People working in Project Management Offices that are building their own processes because PRINCE2 is easy to tailor
- People responsible for projects in companies where project management maturity is low because it gives you everything you need to get things done even if there is no corporate structure.
There are certification exams for all levels, so you need to be prepared to study and prepare for the exam with mock tests and an exam simulator . There is a lot to learn, so this professional development route is best for people who are prepared to give up some free time and do the work.
What about agile project managers?
Honestly, I don’t think many employers (or even trainers) rate PRINCE2 Agile. If you are trying to get a project management job in an organization using agile methods, you could get a Scrum Master certification or take another agile course.
If your boss specifically asks you to do the Agile PRINCE2, then do it, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a door-opening certificate that would help you walk into your next job.
Does PRINCE2 increase salary?
There’s not a lot of salary survey data on PRINCE2 Practitioners, so it’s hard to say conclusively. My research on Payscale shows that the median annual salary for a PRINCE2 certified professional in London with 3 years of experience is £46,000.
You could expect to earn between £33,000 and £65,000 as a PRINCE2 Practitioner.
Totaljobs reports (as of the day I’m writing this)* that the average salary for PRINCE2 jobs is £55,623. The average is £70,000 in London so where you work does make a difference.
PRINCE2 certifications show that you are committed to a job in project management and prepared to invest in professional development. Employers definitely take certifications into consideration when recruiting – I know I did when I was responsible for reviewing CVs and screening candidates.
Disadvantages of PRINCE2 training
PRINCE2 is a process-based methodology. In my experience, that means the training courses don’t cover project management skills.
You don’t learn how to work with others. There is nothing on the soft skills or leadership skills that will help you excel in the role. When I took my PMQ certification with APM, I was surprised at how much time was spent on skills.
If you have a solid understanding of project management processes, and already work within a framework, then I would put the time towards a skills-based course instead. Unless you need the certification as a way to boost your CV or resume.
What about other project management certifications?
I’ve taken lots of project management courses, some that ended up with a certificate, some that didn’t. I think it’s worth investigating what other training and exam options are out there.
Other options that provide a project management framework include certifications from:
- APM in the UK and beyond
- IPMA for your country’s professional body for project managers
- PMI.
Plus there are loads of agile courses from organizations like APMG and the Scrum Alliance.
Your next steps
Have you chosen the PRINCE2 certificate that is right for you? Whether you’ve decided to stick at Foundation, go all the way to Practitioner or take the Agile route, all the exams will give you an edge over other candidates.
Ready to learn more? Here are some popular resources that will help you take the next steps:
- PRINCE2: The Project Management Method Explained
- How to Choose a PRINCE2 Course Online
- The Best PRINCE2 Exam Simulators
- PRINCE2® and PMBOK®: How They Compare
- 7 Best PRINCE2 Books for 2023 (Including PRINCE2 Agile Books)
*23 October 2022
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This article first appeared at Rebel’s Guide to Project Management