Indian Head professional re-boots her career with PMP boot camp

In 2020, millions of Americans have lost jobs, with no certainty that many of those positions will ever come back on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even for those who have retained jobs, the economic shakeup nationally has moved them to action as they take steps that strengthen their long-term career prospects.

Case in point: Indian Head’s Tamara Robinson, a project manager with Vienna, Va.-based ActioNet, an information technology firm. In May, the Maryland woman enrolled in a four-day virtual Project Management Professional (PMP) boot camp operated by EdWel Programs.

“Becoming certified—and going through the challenging learning curve to get that certification—has been pivotal,” Robinson said. “My management was encouraging me to get it, and I stopped procrastinating and took the opportunity to pursue it while we are all quarantined.”

Though the training was virtual—as with so much in day-to-day life during the pandemic—Robinson was impressed with the caliber of EdWel instruction.

“I really liked the convenience of doing it from home, and loved my instructor,” she recalled. “He was relatable, and provided case study examples that I understood. He did a great job of keeping us all engaged in the training.”

Robinson acknowledged that she was concerned about being able to grasp the vast volume of information necessary to pass the PMP exam.

“There is a lot to take in and EdWel’s boot camp was far from easy, but it was convenient, and effective in helping me to grasp all the material that goes into attaining your PMP certification,” she noted. “I buckled down, studied, and benefited from the practice tests.”

When COVID-19 caused delays in the actual test being available, EdWel extended Robinson’s access to practice tests—a key aid in keeping her newfound knowledge fresh in her mind.

In July, buoyed by the knowledge and guidance she gained through the EdWel boot camp and subsequent practice tests, Robinson passed the PMP exam.

Robinson’s proactive approach reflects a surging interest among project managers seeking the coveted PMP certification.

Project management is a fast-growing field, a trend detected by a 2017 Anderson Economic Group (AEG) analysis commissioned by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The analysis forecast that employers globally will see a growth of 22 million new jobs in the field over a 10-year span, with nearly 88 million individuals overall in project management-oriented roles by 2027.

For project management professionals, nothing opens the door to an interview and offer faster than certification, said EdWel Programs founder Mike Welles. For those who are in a job or career transition, displacement can be discouraging—but can also represent opportunity, he noted.

“Keep a positive outlook,” Welles said. “It is easy to feel lost or disjointed with all the tumult caused by COVID-19. Let the labor market adjust and come back to you. Just be ready when it does happen—and having a PMP in your back pocket is one great way to prepare.”

About EdWel Programs

Since 1992, the adult-education and training firm has helped more than 25,000 boot camp graduates work toward PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.

With training sites in nearly 20 U.S. cities, the industry leader’s training program is so effective that some students have attained key certification within a few days of completion of its intensive boot camp course. For more information, visit www.edwel.com.