PRESS RELEASE:

Project managers are confident about the future of their profession and predict that project management will become a business skill that everybody uses, according to a major new study* examining how the profession will look in 2030.

Project management will continue to grow as a life skill, with more than three quarters (76%) of those surveyed agreeing that it will become a basic business skill. In addition, 72% said that project management will become a respected career choice and more professional, with a similar number (76%) agreeing project managers will become more specialized based on their industry.

The report by AXELOS identifies key global trends that will shape the project management sector and outlines the skills and knowledge needed by professionals in the future.

The strategic role of project management was clear throughout the survey findings, with 90% of respondents saying that professionals will need a stronger strategic vision for their projects that is aligned to the wider business.

The pace of change within business means that project managers will need the ability to adapt, illustrated by the fact that 75% of respondents believe increased regulation and compliance will generate more projects by 2030. Furthermore, 90% of project managers agree that new technologies will generate risks that need to be managed carefully while 59% believe that as automation increases, daily routine tasks of project management will no longer be a burden on them.

The survey also reinforces the importance of agility in project management - 84% of respondents believe that ‘agile’ will grow in importance. The majority (90%) said that ongoing training will be vital to keep up with the pace of change and that there will be a need to more creativity and flexibility in project management.

Peter Hepworth, AXELOS CEO, said: “Our survey reinforces the fact that project management is and will continue to be a valued business skill for all employees. It is encouraging to learn that project management professionals feel confident in their roles and the belief that their work will continue to be seen as valued.

“It is vital that project management professionals realize the importance of continuous learning - the ability to remain agile and strategic, adapt to new technology and respond to changing regulation will become ever more important.”

The full ‘Project Management Professional in 2030’ report was published on the AXELOS website in January 2017.

*AXELOS commissioned a survey of 172 project management professionals in October 2016.