Organizations that offer project managers a defined career ladder are often more successful at retaining their project management talent. But, according to PMI research, only 30 percent of corporations worldwide have a project management career path.

To help, PMI has created a career framework that provides the necessary tools and resources for organizations to identify employee strengths and weaknesses and implement a project management career ladder.

Get your organization started with PMI’s career framework  

What is a Career Ladder?  

Skills and Competencies  

Assessments 

Job Descriptions 

Professional Development Activities 

Case Studies 

What is a Career Ladder?
Formal career ladders guide professionals as they achieve success and advance in their careers. Components of formal career ladders include skills and competencies, a set of comprehensive job descriptions, assessments and professional development activities.

View PMI’s career ladder

Skills and Competencies
Project management skills and competencies are key to the development of job descriptions. PMI has categorized the skills into competencies of professional, interpersonal and leadership. 

Assessments
The career framework assessment tool helps human resource departments identify employee strengths and weaknesses and create more effective training programs.

Job Descriptions
Organizations can use information provided by PMI’s career framework to develop job descriptions. The use of standardized project management job descriptions allows for more focused recruiting for open positions.

Professional Development Activities
Organizations should aid employees in identifying networking and training events that will enhance the skills identified in the project management job descriptions.

For a complete listing of PMI’s professional development activities, please view the Training & Events calendar.

The project management career framework is a blueprint for a consistent, effective and professional-first approach to human resources management at the project-oriented organization.

Get started with PMI’s career framework 

Case Studies
Real life examples of organizations creating a career path for their project professionals

Career Paths in Action:  Microsoft Services Improves Retention with a Career path for Project Managers

Career Paths in Action:  HP Services Adds Consistency and Top Talent to Global Project Operations

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