You came here because you heard about a project management certificate that PMI (Project management institute) offers which doesn’t require experience in project management, and you thought – Oh, that could be my foothold into the Project Management field, and you’re absolutely right!

Project Management Institute (PMI) offers a professional certification referred to as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) ® for candidates who are looking to work on roles with greater project management skills or add them to their current role.

CAPM does not require the experience that PMP candidates are expected to have, and this is the exact thing that makes it achievable and worthwhile for you!

The training will first walk you through all the topics that will help you get into the project management field, which is a steppingstone in the full sense of the word.

Not only that, but if you are part of a project team already, you can boost your contribution to the project you are working on, by applying what you learn in the CAPM certification program to your work, as you continue through this path, you’ll notice that the project manager and you are starting to speak the same language.

Welcome fellow aspiring project manager, you have come to the right place to start your Project Management journey.

•    It is for people who have little to no experience in project management, and they are interested in stepping into this vast ocean of knowledge.
•    People who have less than 3 years of experience in project management and would like to get their experience recognized by PMI and other project managers.
•    The CAPM certification offers recognition to practitioners who are interested or are just starting a career in project management.
•    project team members who wish to demonstrate their project management knowledge.

• This certification indicates knowledge of the principles and terminology within A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) Sixth Edition, which outlines generally recognized best practices in project management.
• This knowledge can be applied to on-the-job experiences that help develop competencies in the practice of project management. Individuals who carry the CAPM designation after their name enjoy a high level of credibility from Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification holders, project managers, employers, and peers.

How will you know if you’re eligible to take the test or not?

To be eligible for the CAPM certification, you need a high school diploma or global equivalent and must meet the educational requirement.

Educational Background              Project Management Education

Secondary diploma & 23                  (high school diploma/global equivalent)

Contact hours of formal education

CAPM Certification Application and Payment

The PMI Audit is nothing to be afraid of, although most students dread the fact they might be subjected to an audit, we assure you it is really a matter of making sure that all your papers are in order and nothing more.

Now you might ask will PMI choose who will get audited?

The process is completely random, there is no way of telling who will get audited and who will not, although PMI reserve the right to audit anyone even after they get certified.

When your application is selected for an audit, you’ll be notified with an email, in this email you’ll find details about what details to provide and where and when to submit them.

Usually you will be asked to provide the following:
• Copies of your diploma/global equivalent
• Copies of certificates and/or letters of registration from the training institute(s) for each course
recorded on the application to meet the required contact hours of training in project management practices.

PMI will give you a period of 90 days to prepare and send the documents requested, and after the get delivered it will take about 5 to 7 business days to finish and getting a response.

PMI provided this address for students to send their Audit documents:

PMI
Attn: Certification Audit
14 Campus Blvd.
Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA

Now make sure you submit your audit papers as soon as possible, because you can’t move forward with paying the fees and booking the test until you do.

After you successfully finish the audit and you get the confirmation, you have a period of 1 year to take three shots at the CAPM exam, but hopefully you won’t need them.

Incomplete submissions will not be processed and will result in failure of the audit. If you choose not to comply with the audit, it will result in an audit failure and a one-year suspension period to apply for any of PMI’s certifications.

The CAPM examination is comprised of 150 multiple-choice questions. Of the 150 questions, 15 are considered pretest questions. Pretest questions do not affect the score and are used in examinations as an effective and legitimate way to test the validity of future examination questions. All questions are placed throughout the examination randomly.

The exam is 3 hours long, but you might finish the test in less than that, also you should note that CAPM exam has no breaks, and when you do take a break the clock will still be clicking until you get back, so you need to practice some time management.

You can only take breaks if you take the exam at an examination center, if you choose to take the test at home breaks are not allowed.

You’re not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, and chew gum during the exam, so make sure to do all of the above things in your break or before the exam if you’re taking the exam from your home.

Breaks are not allowed during the online proctored test for any reason and leaving your

desk will terminate the exam. Eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing gum are also

prohibited during the exam.

After you finish your application and submit it, you’ll get the confirmation email, now this marks the start of the 1-year period.
What comes next is paying the exam fees, you’ll pay the exam fees and after the payment is received, PMI will send you a confirmation email this email will contain:
• PMI eligibility ID and booking the test instructions.

Beware that it is up to you to find a free exam appointment for your exam, and finding an free time if you’re doing the online proctored test.

PMI recommends that you schedule the examination as soon as you select a date, and at least three months before the expiration of your eligibility period.

It is advisable to save or have a printed version of everything related to your exam, like confirmations, scheduling, and all the email trail between you and PMI or Pearson VUE just to stay on the safe side of things.