Improving individual project management competence lies at the heart of the APM Project Management Challenge.
Registration is now open 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.
Step ❶ Confirm eligibility
Ensure you or your team members meet the entry criteria:
- Over the age of 18
AND - New to the project profession (less than 3 years' experience in a project related role)
OR - Student currently undertaking full or part-time study
Step ❷ Form a team
- Gather a team of 3 to 6 members from your peers or colleagues
- Identify a project sponsor from your organisation or community project that you plan to work with and get agreement from them to support your team entering the challenge
- Select a suitable mentor from your organisation, or decide if you’d like APM to allocate one from our volunteer pool.
Step ❸ Register your interest
Submit your team entry form before the deadline of 3 November. You will need:
- Name and email address for each of the team members and sponsor
- Your closest city, so that we can assign you to the appropriate region
- Consent to share this info with us from all team members.
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.
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.
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.
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.