Post: #1

Hi everyone!

I haven't posted here for so long. But I have still kept me up to date with this forum.

I am currently ending my master of science in Mechanical engineering.
I would like to pass the PMP exam in order to work work as a manager after.
My concern, is that I would like to have classes before passing the exam. I have looked for some trainings or schools on the Internet, but I have found a lot of online courses, and it isn't really what I'm looking for.
I would like to go to an university (from 6 month to a year) in an English Country in order to improve my English and also working to pass the PMP exam.

Does anyone know a school like that?

Post: #2

PMP certification is only worth it if your company is paying for it. Not to mention, you need actual work experience in order to get your certification.

Post: #3

I'm currently working on obtaining my PMP and totally agree that unless the employer pays for it you might want to rethink it. As for the schools you are finding online I think those are only to obtain your 35 "Contact Hours". From my understanding you can either do 1 of 3 things:
1) Lectures/School if you can find one in your area
2) Online Classes
3) Pay for a Podcast that offers a certificate for "Contact Hours"

I went the Podcast route and am about halfway done. IMO you should apply first to the PMP Institute to see if you have enough time to qualify to sit for the exam. I think the requirement is having 7500 hours that can be documented involved in actual projects and they make you document every hour. Then you get your "Contact Hours" and after that you're cleared to take the test. While you might learn some stuff from the school/podcast at the end of the day it's you learning from the official book PMP Handbook and whatever exam prep book you choose. Both are as thick hell and I find myself going between the two. It's a lot of work and hopefully at the end of the day you pass. I took the NASD Series 7 and 66 tests to be a stockbroker when I was 20 - compared to the PMP Test those were easy. Good Luck if you decide to do it - and I'm by no means an authority so there may be other options available that I don't know about.

Post: #4

Reviving this thread.. currently in a similar position and have 4 options. The pursuit of higher education is due to family-social pressure/fathers personal regrets and the fact that it may boost my chances at employment.

I've been half-assing this for the last couple of years; partially because I hate school and think it's just another excuse to fuck around. The other reason being that I think I could accomplish more outside school but if the past is any indicator; have squandered much time-money-energy into unproductive pursuits.

Have an undergrad background in economics and an engineering technologist diploma

1) Pursue the PMP certification
2) Pursue an MSc in Engineering Management
3) Go through a work-apprenticeship program; hard to find at these times that covers the same material as the PMP/MSc in Eng. Mgmt. but does it via government certification exams.

4) Fuck the post-grad and just focus on building my business. Downside is it comes with massive sunk costs in time-money and I'm already facing an uphill battle from family.