Building transferable skillsets

Here at Axelos, we value Continual Professional Development, otherwise known as CPD. We work with our staff to ensure they have viable plans for their future growth in the workplace, and we allocate money for the training that will take them to the next stage of their career.

Our belief in the value of CPD goes beyond our own staff. We specialise in Global Best Practice and work closely with training organisations to create courses that will help service managers and project and programme managers to develop the knowledge and skills with which to thrive in the modern work environment.

As part of the latest Axelos PPM Benchmark Study, we surveyed over 500 project managers from a range of geographies and industries to help us understand the attitude and approach of organisations around the world to CPD. This report explores the trends that underlie the survey. (For a breakdown of the people surveyed, please see the Appendix).

In recent years, the rise of agile concepts and ways of working have transformed the way products and services are delivered. As Project Management Offices (PMOs) today navigate the contemporary landscape – how deeply should they get into agile practices?; how do PRINCE2 and other structured project management methods fit into this? – it is crucial for project managers to adapt their approach when confronted with a changing business environment.

Over three quarters of project managers we spoke to described themselves as ‘interested and active’ when it comes to their continual professional development (CPD). Almost 80% of this group believe they are gaining transferrable skills as a result of the professional development activities they undertake. When project managers are operating in an ever-changing workplace, it is reassuring to see that they are arming themselves with a developing skillset that can be transferred across roles, organizations, and ways of working.