43% of project managers say the skills gap isn’t improving

More than four in ten project professionals say the skills gap in their sector is not showing signs of improving, according to new research by the Association for Project Management (APM).

Figures from a poll of 1,000 UK project professionals, carried out for APM by research company Censuswide, show that 83% of respondents feel there is a skills gap in their industry sector, with 43% saying that gap is staying the same, or getting worse.  13% of respondents said the skills gap is getting worse.

Sectors in which a particularly high proportion of respondents feel the skills gap is not improving include healthcare and pharmaceuticals (82% of respondents), manufacturing (73%), education (53%), legal (52%) and technology (50%).

With many people seeking to take advantage of the new calendar year to improve their skills and boost career prospects, APM is encouraging project and programme professionals to consider the benefits of gaining a new qualification, or recommending one to colleagues.

Jackie Martin, APM’s Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “It’s clear from our latest study that there are ongoing concerns around skills within the profession. Inadequate skills or lack of project management leadership capability can be attributed to project failure, and so it is vital that project teams have the right level of skills in place.

“APM champions greater professionalism in projects and driving a better understanding of the importance of the use of expert project professionals in project delivery. This includes ensuring organisations and teams having access to the right level of training, qualifications and having more Chartered Project Professionals to raise standards and the outcomes of projects for public benefit.”

If you are looking for ways to help improve the standards of project management in your organisation or your own project skills, APM has a range of project management qualifications designed to support you throughout every stage of your project management career. APM qualifications also offer a clear route to achieving the Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status.