Amareen Dhaliwal, MD, MPH. EdTech advocate at AEG and cofounder at APMIC Advanced Project Management & Implementation Certification
Project management training stands at a critical point in 2025. More than ever, organizations are depending on project managers (PMs) to drive digital transformation efforts, coordinate complex teams and deliver real results under high-pressure, high-visibility conditions.
But as the co-founder of a PM certification company, I believe professional development in project management hasn’t evolved fast enough. The role has shifted. Smaller tasks are often handled by automated systems or distributed across platforms, so much of what’s left on the PM’s plate requires multi-industry and multi-skill knowledge, judgment, communication and ownership. That’s where current training often falls short.
Why Traditional PM Training Is No Longer Enough
Research from the U.K. House of Commons Public Accounts Committee discovered project management shortcomings (registration required) that caused organizations to hire consultants to manage their projects, which created budget issues and diluted project ownership.
Most foundational PM certifications teach a standard framework, such as PMBOK or PRINCE2, before students need to pass an exam for completion. These programs still offer valuable structure and shared language. Yet, there is a gap between training and career success that needs to be filled.
In my view, PM professionals need more than process knowledge because projects need leaders who can perform under genuine conditions. As such, I believe training programs today need to focus on preparing individuals for more practical leadership.
What PM Training Should Look Like In 2025
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management promotes a competency-based development framework for project and program managers that covers technical skills and leadership development necessary for successfully performing on the job.
My observations in the field demonstrate that PM training in healthcare, clinical research and education has become most effective when it includes scenario-based learning that keeps students engaged and is directly applicable to their careers. The curriculum should start with basic concepts and then shift focus to practical application, multi-industry coverage and early training for the breadth of skills PMs need, such as using new software and managing projects through cases and application-heavy approaches, rather than primarily theory and soft skills that allow PMs to truly lead.
The Return On Investment Of Effective Training
Modern training investment by teams can lead to faster project initiation as well as better scope alignment and increased confidence during cross-functional decision making. On a personal level, PMs with better training could also see higher salaries. Research from the Project Management Institute found that certified PMs achieve a 33% average salary increase, and many feel it benefits their careers.
Four Ways To Improve Your PM Training Program In 2025
Whether you serve as human resources lead, instructional designer or consultant, if you’re revisiting your approach to PM training, the following four practical strategies should guide you.
1. Explore a variety of PM training paths.
If you’re hiring or onboarding early-career project managers, don’t limit them to one-size-fits-all bootcamps. Consider working with external training providers that offer exposure to different methodologies across multiple industries. This gives your PMs more context, not just tools.
There are a number of tools out there that can help facilitate this, such as Coursera, Pathstream, LinkedIn Learning and edX. Ensure the provider is reputable. To evaluate this, consider its credentials, such as whether it’s a Project Management Institute-authorized training partner. Additionally, focus on finding a program that covers your industry and the skills your PMs need. You can also ask the program if it can provide any group discounts, as well as if it can customize or add your company’s standard operating procedures into the lesson and give feedback.
2. Launch internship-to-hire sprint programs.
Instead of hoping new PM hires “catch up” during probation, offer six-week internship cycles where they contribute to active projects across at least two departments. Keep expectations clear. Add weekly check-ins. Make certification optional. By the end, both sides know if it’s a fit.
To help with this, you can explore tools that can house weekly goals and reflections or that help collect feedback from interns and managers. Tools that allow you to assign tasks with visibility across departments, such as Trello or Asana, may also be helpful. To attract these interns, post openings to early-career PMs at top schools.
3. Replace final exams with project portfolios.
Don’t rely on testing memory. Have PMs submit a portfolio of what they’d actually create on the job, including a timeline, risk plan, stakeholder map and status summary. I’ve found this gives a better signal of readiness than any multiple-choice test.
Have them explain their thinking in two- to three-minute walk-throughs, and let them know what tools they should use. For instance, Google Docs and Google Sheets can show how they work in real-world formats, Canva can be used for creating professional-looking stakeholder presentations or visual timelines, etc.
4. Use reverse mentorship to build confidence and culture.
I always recommend pairing a new PM with a senior one—but make it a two-way street. The experienced lead offers judgment and escalation guidance, while the new PM brings fresh systems thinking or tools. I’ve found this works better than one-directional mentoring and can build team culture quickly. Popular tools that can help with this include Slack, where private channels can be used for informal questions and quick check-ins, Calendly for managing recurring meetings or Miro for brainstorming, flowcharts or shared whiteboard space between mentor and mentee.
The Bottom Line
Certifications still matter. The framework, common language and professional recognition provided by certifications remain essential components, but many of the early-career and current PMs I have spoken to consistently agree that it’s time for change in training to meet the demands of 2025. So, if you’re planning to revisit your approach to PM training, remember to onboard early-career PMs with high-breadth training and mentorship, and offer internship-to-hire positions for new PMs for easier hireability.
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