How to become a project manager

Project manager in a nutshell

• Strategic orchestrators: Project managers bring together resources and talent to generate meaningful and business-relevant outcomes for brands. 
• Tech-enabled operators: Project managers use AI to automate processes, improve reporting, determine resource allocation, and factor in risks.
• Data-dependent decision making: Project managers track key metrics to determine whether projects are on track and within scope.
• Adaptability: Project managers must adapt to changing circumstances, adjusting their strategies according to environmental, organisational, and financial constraints.

The role of a project manager

The role of a project manager was historically administrative oversight: steering teams and organisations toward various long-term and strategic goals, updating schedules, planning Gantt charts, and transferring data.

Today, though, the role of the project manager is different, and they're moving beyond basic administrative duties. AI is allowing people in this role to focus more on cross-departmental collaboration and working with multiple stakeholders.

Successful project managers now position themselves as the bridge between strategic vision and technical implementation. They try to maximise the impact of projects using the assistance of artificial intelligence while minimising the risks

What are the top qualifications for project managers?

Project managers come from multiple backgrounds because the role requires a unique mixture of technical skills and soft skills. There are a number of widely recognised and accredited certification paths available, such as:

PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments) 

PRINCE2 is a longstanding project management framework and methodology, which was developed by the UK government in the 1980s. 

Today, it is still one of the most sought after and respected certifications in the world of project management, and one that frequently appears in project manager job advertisements. 

Alongside the PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner certifications, learners can now also undertake an agile variant of these courses, PRINCE2 Agile. 

APM (Association For Project Management

The APM was founded in 1972 are the world's only chartered membership for project professionals. 

The APM project management framework is one of the most popular in the world. It includes the entry-level APM PFQ (project  fundamentals qualification, APM PMQ (project management qualification) and APM PPQ (project professional qualification. 

APMG

APMG International is a global body for certification and accredited training. The offer a wide range of courses for project managers, and similar roles, including the AgilePM foundation and practitioner certification, one of the most popular qualifications of its kind in the world. 

PMI (Project Management Institute)

PMI have a number of courses that are taught and trained to organisations across the globe, through highly respected frameworks and pathways. 

For project professionals, PMI offer two highly popular courses: PMP Project Management Professional and CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management). 

Personal and technical qualifications

It's also important to note that project managers can emerge from other areas of expertise. For example, individuals with Agile Scrum and Kanban experience often have the ability to master business processes, which is attractive to hiring managers looking for project managers.

Project managers may also possess skills in workflow automation and predictive analytics, with data and automation backgrounds or formal credentials in PMP, CISSP, and Agile Scrum Master. Human-centric leadership is also important for project managers. They require the ability to oversee change management while dealing with disruption, utilising emotional intelligence. They must be able to resolve conflicts with staff members consistently to be successful.

What projects do businesses need project managers for in 2026?

Project managers are increasingly being called in to lead digital transformation projects, leverage new technology to augment operational efficiency and build team workflows. 

Businesses are also hiring project managers to make them more sustainable. Many brands want to deliver on their ESG targets to please shareholders and investors, and are looking for individuals who can assist them in reducing waste and their carbon footprint.

There's also a continued demand for project managers who can manage infrastructure and IT migrations. Individuals with knowledge of cloud computing and DevOps are in particularly high demand in 2026. 

Finally, there is a clear demand for project managers specialising in AI integration. Brands are recruiting project managers for AI integration and automation projects.

Companies realise the value of AI agents and want to integrate artificial intelligence natively into their systems. Project managers can help oversee the technical angle of this while also managing existing staff through emotional intelligence skills.

Are project managers in-demand in 2026?

The PMI predicts that the world will need 30 million new project professionals by the year 2035.

Not only is demand high now, but it is due to continue growing for years to come. Companies need professionals who have an in-depth strategic understanding of their long-range objectives.

Ultimately, project managers with fluent competency across multiple technical domains, with strong interpersonal skills, are those most likely to succeed in today's job market. 

Today's projects are more complex and require extended experience. Project managers need to be able to go into companies, understand the context, and be able to act accordingly.