Salary Survey: What young project managers want

Results from the 2017 Salary and Market Trend Survey, held in collaboration with Wellingtone Project Management, bring to light the demands of those entering the project profession pipeline aged 18-24. 

Made up of students and young professionals with less than two years careers experience, ninety per cent of the demographic have already completed further education, with over half (53 percent) holding an undergraduate degree.

Throughout the survey the 18-24 year old group painted a picture of young professionals seeking out training and development and opportunities for career progression, far beyond any other age group.

When asked ‘which, if any, of the following would be important to you when looking for a job?’ the answers were as follows:

Training and development, career progression and salary all came in the top three but when pushed for which would be MOST important Career progression came top priority voted for by 33 per cent of 18-24 year old respondents, compared to just seven per cent of all respondents, the highest in that bracket.

Evidence backing the need for ongoing training emphasised that, despite only just leaving education, over 73 per cent expect to take on new skills in the next five years, which is 20 per cent more than the survey average.

With the average respondent involved in projects worth half a million pound across a wide range of sectors, respondents cited planning, decision making and leadership skills as attributes they felt were important in their organisation.

However, despite the challenges of starting out in such a prestigious career, taking on such large responsibility has its rewards, even on the first rungs on the career ladder. On average the wages of those aged 18-24 exceeded the national average for graduates, averaging £22,500 per year and, what’s more, 89 per cent of respondents expect an increase in pay in the next twelve months compared to just 49 per cent of all survey respondents.

Despite high levels of satisfaction across the survey of young professionals (with 80 per cent reporting to be satisfied in their current role while working largely for growing large organisations) already 40 percent envisage a change of employer in the next 12 months.

It is now for the profession to provide the opportunities to nurture the pipeline and those in it, provide the skills training, investment and opportunities and in so doing, to bridge the skills gap.