Improving individual project management competence lies at the heart of the APM Project Management Challenge.
Registration is now closed for 2024/25. Express interest for 2025/26
The APM Project Management Challenge is an annual competition which has been running for over a decade and is aimed at those who are new to project management.
It is hosted by a number of Regional Networks throughout the UK and provides potential and emerging project professionals the opportunity to increase their project management experience, working as a team to deliver a real project from concept to completion.
Participants should form their own teams, with peers or colleagues. Teams are expected to adhere to APM competences and project management best practices throughout the process.
The competition runs from November to April and culminates in a final awards evening, where the highest scoring teams present on their project and winners are selected and announced.
Looking for inspiration to take part in the Project Management Challenge?
Last year six regions ran the competition, each culminating in a prestigious finals night where finalist teams shared their achievements as they presented to an audience of judges and peers, and regional winners were announced. Teams delivered a wide range of projects including mental health, environmental sustainability, community support, and technological advancements.
Looking for staff development opportunities?
Benefits to your organisation
- Access an excellent development opportunity for staff.
- Enhance organisational capacity to deliver successful change.
- Increase your organisation’s CSR contribution by providing project support for community organisations and non profits.
Demonstrate social benefit through the power of projects
Competition format
The competition is designed to support the learning and development of individuals who are at the start of their project careers, through hands-on experience.
Participants can choose which charity/cause or organisation they work with when delivering their project.
Participants should form their own teams, with peers or colleagues. Teams comprised of three to six team members, develop a project in line with a defined framework, that delivers measurable outputs and benefits to a customer.
Teams require a project sponsor, sourced from their organisations, are matched with a mentor for the duration of the competition, and will gain further guidance from branch volunteers which provides a supportive environment to gain meaningful experience in project delivery.
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Be part of the next winning team
Who should enter
The competition is aimed at those who are new to project management, including:
- Students who are currently undertaking courses with a project management element.
- Apprentices currently working towards a qualification.
- New graduates, who would like an opportunity to develop their project skills.
- Corporate employees with fewer than three years’ experience in the project management profession.
FAQs
Who can enter Project Management Challenge?
The challenge is open to corporate graduates, apprentices or trainees who have less than three years of experience in a project role, or students who are undertaking study during the period in which the competition runs. If you meet these criteria, talk to your peers or colleagues to form a team and submit your entry form.
How can I enter my team?
If you have already identified a team of participants for the competition, please complete and submit the downloadable entry form naming your team’s participants. Please return your completed form to the email address provided.
What happens during the competition?
Teams develop an idea for a project before creating and submitting a project proposal to a judging panel. Teams are encouraged to deliver a project which will provide social benefit. If the judges approve the project, teams will go on to deliver the initiative under the guidance of a mentor.
What is the time commitment to take part?
As teams plan their own resourcing, this is largely dependent on the scope of their project and their role. As an estimate, previous participants advised that they spent around 2-3 hours a week once they reach the project delivery phase.
Why should I enter?
Enter Project Management Challenge if you want to improve your project management skills, increase your profile within the project community and experience a full project lifecycle, whilst supporting a cause that benefits society.
Is funding provided for the project?
If your project progresses to the delivery phase, APM will reimburse finalists for money spent, up to a maximum of £150 per team. Spending will be retrospectively reimbursed through APM’s expense claim process and should be accompanied by full receipts for each claim.