Newsletter Ireland Chapter of PMI - October 2020

Ireland Chapter Newsletter

October | 2020

International Project Management Day, Special Edition

A message from the President, Jackie Glynn

Welcome to our Special Edition of the PMI Newsletter, celebrating International Project Management Day. As always, I hope you and your families are well, as we continue to pull together to control the spread of Covid-19. I have always loved this time of year: the vibrancy of Autumn leaves, the dark evenings that herald Halloween and of course the build up to our National Project Awards! 

While Covid-19 means that such an event cannot go ahead as usual, we still want to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and often unappreciated efforts of the 50,000 plus project managers who ensure successful delivery of projects and services in Ireland.

What better way to do this than through International Project Management Day? Observed each year on the first Thursday in November (I guess all PM’s are “Thursdays Child”), IPM Day aims to bring PMs together to share ideas and promote project management best practices. So who are we and what is our impact? According to PMIs Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017-2027 almost 66m global project management jobs existed in 2017 – set to climb to 87.7m by 2027. We conservatively estimate approx. 50k Project Managers operating in Ireland and at time of print, of the 29k open Irish roles advertised on LinkedIn, over 9k contain the words “project” or “program” in the job title/description! While we don’t have specific data confirming the impact of project management on the Irish economy, a recent report on the UK economy found that PM’s make up approx. 8% of UK FTE’s and contribute 9% of GVA.                                                                 

On IPM Day we get behind these numbers and celebrate the individuals who have nourished the field of project management in Ireland, contributing to the growth and sustainability of our economy. We will be holding a very special evening Webinar on the 5th November, brought to you in conjunction with The Project Foundry, leading providers of Programme and Project Management services.  During this webinar an imprressive panel of guests will share workable tips on how to accelerate your career and promote your personal brand. Capacity has been increased and this event is open to all. Register here now.

For simple ways to celebrate International Project Management day - check our the article below.  

Simple ways to celebrate International Project Management Day

Niamh Mongey | Director of Comms/ Newsletter Editor

We know from our Webinar polls and from our Surveys that our members sometimes feel undervalued.  Project Management is not for wimps: we work exceptionally hard employing a dizzying mix of diverse skills everyday. This is not always understood or fully appreciated within our organisations.

So why not use International Project Management Day on Thursday 5th November as a vehicle to flag the importance of Project Management and to celebrate your team?  Here are a few simple suggestions to do so:

• Just say Thank You!....to your supervisor, manager or perhaps the one who inspired you to pursue project management in the first place. 
• Make it a thing. Ask your organisation or Manager to celebrate the day. Take 20 mins of your Team or Project meeting to call out a particular project achievement or success story. If you have a People team, Sharepoint or Internal Comms - broadcast.
• Ask for it. If you contribute to projects but dont have a formal title or role - ask for it! If you pursue PMI certification it will help to have this relevant experience clearly demarcated.
• Pay it forward: Consider applying your professional skills to a volunteer opportunity.  There are so many worthy causes that desperately need the expertise of a PM.
• Be evangelical: Assess and try to enhance the PM training available in your organisation. Alternatively, create thought leadership (an article or post) based on your experience and share this on SM.
• Be your own Project: If you do nothing else, use the day to reflect on your career in Project Management. Think about how you can employ all your expertise in the advancement of your personal goals. You have already delivered considerable benefit to projects, clients and employers. For one day, make it about you.

For an easy option to mark the day we have created "Kudos Cards" ready made to share on Social Media.  Just tag the colleagues, mentors, leaders or teams that you wish to celebrate!