How to become PRINCE2® Certified?

PRINCE2® is one of the major certifications in the field of Project Management. Professionals in this field often seek after this PRINCE2 certification to take their career up the ladder. Through the medium of this article, I will give you a complete insight into how to become PRINCE2® Certified.

Below are the topics, I will be discussing in this article:

• What is PRINCE2® Certification?
• Why PRINCE2®?
• PRINCE2® Certification Levels
• Eligibility Criteria
• Exam Format

What is PRINCE2® Certification?

PRINCE2® stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments. It is a project management methodology that is popularly used in more than 150 countries across the globe. It is a process-based approach which majorly concentrates on the organization and has firm control over the project from its initiation until completion.

PRINCE2® is considered to be the best practice framework for project management. It helps managers in delivering projects on time and within the assigned budget. The projects developed using PRINCE2® methodology, often begin with a detailed and thorough plan. It provides a proper structure for the project where each stage is clearly defined with a start, middle and end. It focuses more on the delivery of products rather than carrying out activities. Once the project finishes, everything is neatly wrapped up and all the loose ends are tied up.

PRINCE2® was originally based on PROMPT II  (Project Resource Organisation Management Planning Techniques) which is a project management method developed by Simpact Systems Ltd in 1975. Later in 1979 it was adopted by CCTA (Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency) and became the market standard for all Government information system projects.

In 1989, PRINCE2® (PROMPT II IN the CCTA Environment) was released which effortlessly superseded PROMPT in the public domain projects. It was until 1996 that PRINCE2® was released which was introduced as a  generic project management method. Since its release, until now, PRINCE2® has continued to grow its popularity and has become the de-facto standard in the field of project management within the UK and across the globe. Later in 2009 PRINCE2® acronym was changed to mean ‘PRojects IN a Controlled Environment’. In July 2013, ownership of PRINCE2 was transferred to AXELOS Ltd which is a joint venture by the Cabinet Office and Capita.

So, that was all about the PRINCE2® Certification, let’s now move further into this article. But before I tell you how to become PRINCE2® certified, lets me highlight a few points as to why you should go for this certification.

Why PRINCE2® Certification?

PRINCE2® method of project management is all about performing the right projects, at the right time, for the right reasons. PRINCE2® methodologies provide standard systems, procedures, and language for various kind of projects. Below I have listed down a few major highlights of PRINCE2® certification:

• It provides better control and optimization of resources.
• It acts as a medium for managing risks and issues.
• PRINCE2® provides flexible points for decision making.
• With this, you will need to perform regular reviews of the project progress against the project plan and the business case.
• It provides an assurance that the project will continue to have a business justification.
• With PRINCE2® methodology any possible risk or problem will be visible in the early stages of the project itself.
• It also opens up a good communication channel among the project team and other stakeholders.
• It also helps in preventing the deviations from the project plan.
• PRINCE2® lays down a structured process for capturing lessons learned.
• On whole, PRINCE2® saves time and money involved in the project all while making it more efficient and effective.

Now, let’s check out the various levels of PRINCE2 certification, in the next section of this how to become a PRINCE2® certified article.

PRINCE2 Certification Levels – How to Become PRINCE2® Certified?

There are three levels of PRINCE2® certification:

• PRINCE2® Foundation: This certification introduces the PRINCE2® method which aims to confirm that a person knows and understands the PRINCE2 method well enough to implement it in a PRINCE2® enabled environment. The PRINCE2® Foundation certification is also a prerequisite for the next level i.e Practitioner certification.

• PRINCE2® Practitioner: This certification is for the project management practitioners who want to take a  further step in their career and enhance their proficiency in the PRINCE2® Methodology. PRINCE2® Practitioner certification exam tests the ability of a professional whether he can manage the non-complex projects across all streams.

• PRINCE2 Agile™: This certification is for those project management practitioners who already have PRINCE2® credentials and are looking for further guidance on the application of agile methodology. This certification is suitable for industries of any domain as well as scale. It provides the scalability along with the ability to work with the corporate management processes.

But majorly, PRINCE2® Foundation and Practioner certifications are enough to be recognized as a PRINCE2® professional in the industry. PRINCE2® Agile certification will act as the cherry on the cake, in case you decide to go for this certification.

Now, let’s move further into this article and find out the eligibility criteria for PRINCE2® certification online.

Eligibility Criteria

First, let me tell you about the eligibility criteria for the PRINCE2® Foundation certification.

Well, talking in very simple terms, there is no formal pre-requisite for this certification. Anyone can appear for this certification but having some understanding of Project Management will definitely help. Below I have listed down few job roles who mostly opt for this certification:

• New and experienced project team members
• Consultants or contract team operating in a PRINCE2® environment
• Project Managers
• Program Managers
• Team Managers

I hope it is clear now who can apply for this certification. Let us now focus on the PRINCE2® Practitioner Certification.

Since Practitioner Certification is the advanced level of the Foundation certification, it’s mandatory to have some knowledge and experience of project management. You must provide some proof of your knowledge for which you need to clear at least one of the following certifications:

• PRINCE2® Foundation
• Project Management Professional (PMP)®
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®
• IPMA Level A (Certified Projects Director)
• IPMA Level B® (Certified Senior Project Manager)
• IPMA Level C® (Certified Project Manager)
• IPMA Level D® (Certified Project Management Associate)

Learn more about ITIL and its framework from the ITIL Course.

Below I have listed down a few job roles of the professional who actively apply for this certification:

• Project Managers
• General Managers
• Program Managers
• Team Managers
• Project Management Consultants

Exam Format

In the below table I have jotted down the exam format for both the levels of certification which are PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner.

Now, if this article on how to get PRINCE2® certified have perked up your interest in getting PRINCE2® certified, you can check out Edureka’s online training program for PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification. We provide structured training where you will be guided by PRINCE2® Certified Trainers, who have years of experience in training.

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This brings to an end of this article on how to become PRINCE2^® certified. 

If you found this “PRINCE2^® Certification Exam” article relevant, check out the PRINCE2 foundation and practitioner course by Edureka, a trusted online learning company with a network of more than 250,000 satisfied learners spread across the globe. 

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