Associate Project Manager Level 4
Who is this Apprenticeship for?
This course is for any eligible candidates who wish to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in project managerial focused role within any industry.
Projects can be defined and delivered within different contexts, across diverse industry sectors. They can be large or small. Every project needs to be managed to ensure its success. An associate project manager knows what needs to be achieved, how it will be achieved, how long it will take and how much it will cost and works with the project team to achieve the required outcomes.
Associate project managers need good planning, organisation, leadership, management, and communication skills. An associate project manager utilises resources with suitable skills, qualifications, experience, and knowledge to work together in a motivated and integrated team, with clearly defined reporting lines, roles, responsibilities, and authorities. Dependent upon the size of the organisations and the complexity of projects, associate project managers’ job titles will vary, but typically they can include: assistant project manager, junior project manager, project team leader. Some organisations use ‘project manager’ as a generic job title.
Roles may include: Assistant project manager, Junior project manager and Project team leader
Are there any entry requirements?
Must be a UK citizen, or have the right of abode in the UK, or is a citizen of a country that is within the EEA and have been ordinarily resident in the UK, the EU or the EEA continuously for the previous three years before the start of learning.
Candidates will have achieved GCSE Grade 9-4 (A*-C) or equivalent in English and Mathematics. We also offer Functional Skills English and maths at Level 2 for those needing to gain these qualifications prior to enrolment.
Apprentices must be employed, normally for a minimum of 30 hours, in an existing Early Intervention Practitioner in order to meet and develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to be successful in this area. The duration of the apprenticeship would be extended if the apprentice works less than 30 hours.
What is the curriculum intent of this Apprenticeship?
The structure and delivery of the course curriculum will enable you to develop the skills, knowledge, and behaviours to reflect the needs of local and regional employers, gain qualifications and be successful in this area.
The curriculum is planned and sequenced to enable learners with previous knowledge and experience to develop the new skills needed to progress to the next stage of their career, training, education, or employment.
The curriculum is flexible and responsive to learner demands and can be tailored to suit individual needs, arising from any current and dynamic issues affecting their role, which can be addressed during workshop sessions.
As an apprentice you will need to be able to demonstrate knowledge and practical skills at the end of your apprenticeship training programme and understand how this reflects the needs of the local, regional, and national economy.
What will the Apprenticeship cover?
The Associate Project Manager Level 4 Apprenticeship will develop the knowledge and understanding of:
Project governance
- Different types of organisational structures and responsibilities, functions, and project phases on different types of projects. How governance can control and manage the successful delivery of projects. The significance of the project management plan (PMP).
Project stakeholder management
- Stakeholders: their perspectives, different interests, and levels of influence upon project outcomes.
Project communication
- Key contexts of a project communication plan, its effectiveness in managing different stakeholders. Factors which can affect communications such as cultural and physical barriers
Project leadership
- The vision and values of the project and its links to objectives; the ways in which these can be effectively communicated and reinforced to team members and stakeholders. Leadership styles, qualities and the importance of motivation on team performance. Characteristics of the working environment which encourage and sustain high performance.
Consolidated planning
- Purpose and formats for consolidated plans to support overall management, taking account of lessons learnt and how the plans balance fundamental components of scope, schedule, resources, budgets, risks and quality requirements.
Budgeting and cost control
- Funding, estimating, overheads; direct costs, indirect costs, fixed costs, variable costs and an overall budget for a project; tracking systems for actual costs, accruals and committed costs; alternative cost breakdowns to provide for graphical representations, and performance management.
- Business case and benefits management - Preparation and/or maintenance of business cases, including benefits management.
- Project scope- Requirements management, and evaluation of alternative methods to learn from the past to improve delivery. Project scope change control, baseline change management, configuration management.
Project schedule
- Scheduling and estimating for project activities including how they can be quality assessed. Progress monitoring and metrics to assess work performed against the schedule. Schedule management methods to evaluate and revise activities to improve confidence in delivery.
Resource management
- Resource analysis, resource allocation and resource acceptance.
Project risk and issue management
- The need for and implementation of a risk management plan. Risk management methods and techniques to identify and prioritise threats or opportunities. Mitigation actions to minimise risk impacts and to optimise benefits by managing opportunities
Contract management and procurement
- The nature of contracts, and their implications for contracting organisations. Procurement processes. Legal and ethical means for managing contracts.
Project quality
- Quality management processes, assurance, and improvements. Outcomes of a quality management plan, metrics for processes and quality standards.
Project context
- The different contexts in which projects can be delivered, including health, safety, and environment management. The interdependencies between project(s), programme(s) and portfolio management. Project phases and key review points, across project life cycles.
Demonstrate the following skills within the context of your organisation.
Project governance
- Project monitoring and reporting cycle to track, assess and interpret performance by the application of monitoring techniques to analyse status and manage information.
Stakeholder and communications management
- Manage stakeholders, taking account of their levels of influence and particular interests. Manage conflicts and negotiations. Communicate to a variety of different audiences. Contribute to negotiations relating to project objectives.
Budgeting and cost control
- Develop and agree project budgets, monitor forecast and actual costs against them and control changes. Support funding submissions. Tracking systems for actual costs, accruals and committed costs; structures for alternative cost breakdowns.
Business case
- Contribute to the preparation or maintenance of a business case including achieving required outcomes.
Scope management
- Determine, control and manage changes to the scope of a project, including assumptions, dependencies and constraints.
Consolidated planning
- Consolidate and document the fundamental components of projects. Monitor progress against the consolidated plan and refine as appropriate, implementing the change control process where relevant.
Schedule management
- Prepare and maintain schedules for activities aligned to project delivery.
Risk, and issue management
- Identify and monitor project risk or opportunity, plan and implement responses to them, contribute to a risk management plan. Respond to and manage issues within a defined governance structure.
Contract management and procurement
- Facilitate a procurement process, contribute to the definition of contractual agreements and contribute to managing a contract.
Quality management
- Develop a quality management plan, manage project assurance, and contribute to peer reviews. Utilise an organisation’s continual improvement process including lessons learned.
Resource management
- Develop resource management plans for project activities, acquire and manage resources including commitment acceptance, monitor progress against plans.
Develop and exhibit the behaviours, below, in the workplace:
Collaboration and teamwork
- Understands and is effective as part of an integrated team.
Leadership
- Communicates direction and supports the vision for project delivery.
Effective and appropriate communication
- Working effectively with and influencing others, taking account of diversity and equality. Influences and facilitates effective team performance.
Drive for results
- Demonstrates clear commitment to achieving results and improving performance.
Integrity, ethics, compliance, and professionalism
- Promotes the wider public good in all actions, acting in a morally, legally and socially appropriate manner. Promotes and models the highest standards of professional integrity, ethics, trust and continued development.
End Point Assessment Methods
To trigger the End Point Assessment, you must have:
- Proof of English & maths GCSE minimum grade 4+(C+) or equivalent level 2 qualification
- Completed a qualification at International Project Management Association (IPMA) Level D or APM Project Management Qualification. (Part of the on-programme element)
- Completed a showcase portfolio, demonstrating how you have met the knowledge, skills and behaviours.
The End Point Assessment consists of:
- Presentation: To complement the evidence in the showcase portfolio
- Professional Discussion: Evaluation of competence utilising the portfolio of evidence to test actual understanding and maintain a consistent evaluation of the final award.
This standard will be graded as Distinction, Merit, Pass or Fail
What could I do when I have finished this Apprenticeship?
Upon commencement, apprentices may become student members of the Association for Project Management (APM) as the first step of professional membership. Apprentices will be eligible for progression to associate membership upon successful completion of the apprenticeship. Full membership can be attained through further experience and professional development.
You may wish to pursue a career as an associate project manager and / or decide to join the Operational Departmental Manager (Level 5) Apprenticeship
Where and when will I learn?
During the course you will be expected to attend the training centre once a month to work towards the mandatory elements of the standard via the e-portfolio. The remaining days will be spent working with your employer gaining the skills, knowledge and behaviours required in preparation for End Point Assessment (EPA). Functional Skills English and maths are embedded into your training programme.
*Please note, Training can also take place via Teams
This on-programme taught element will typically take 24 months, but this is based on a vocational initial assessment to determine prior learning in this area and may be reduced. The End Point Assessment will be completed within 3 months of completing the on-programme taught element
How much will the Apprenticeship cost?
There are no costs to the apprentice for this course
What do I do next?
If you are already employed in this area and wish to join the course, or have identified an employer wishing to start you as an apprentice in this area contact us on 01325 405601
Alternatively …