PMP certificate holders are in demand more than ever before in Seattle, WA. Throughout a variety of industries and companies, project managers are utilized to improve the chances of securing the bid as well as to timely and cost effectively complete projects.

From Information Technology to manufacturing, Project Management is one of the most consistently growing professions. Holding a Project Management Professional certificate from PMI gives you an edge over the competition. It can garner you better jobs, better projects, and better pay.

PMI, Project Management Institute is the world leader in PMP certification. The professionals within PMI hold the standards high to achieve the PMP certificate as well as maintaining that certification.

PMP gains a project manager, on average, 20% more in salary immediately. Many industries report up to an additional 20% increase within the first year. Companies understand that their projects are more likely to be completed on time, within budget, and hold the quality standards that customers desire if their projects are managed by PMP certificate holders.

There are still jobs that don’t require a PMP to become a project manager, but you are more likely to get the job you desire if you hold one. In Seattle, with the amount of industry, manufacturing, computer technology, energy, and healthcare positions, the ability to give yourself an advantage over your competitors is essential.

Preparing for PMP Certification Seattle

The first step before finding the right choice in training for you in Seattle is to make sure you meet the other requirements to apply for your PMP certificate.

PMP Experience Requirement

In order to be eligible to sit for the PMP exam, you must have project management experience. PMI expects four-year diploma holders to have at least three years of project management experience (this is equivalent to 4,500 hours). If you do not have a four-year diploma or equivalent, PMI expects you to have at least five years of project management (this is equivalent to 7,500 hours)

Note that, project management experience does not mean that you must have managed a project as a project manager. Project management experience can be working in projects as a project engineer, analyst, team member, team leader etc.

PMP Education Requirement

This is where the training comes in. As long as you satisfy the PMP experience requirement, you can obtain the 35 contact hours of project management education by either attending a PMP course online or opting for PMP classroom training.

The 35 hours doesn’t expire but the providers generally only offer additional support for a year after completion.

Once you have received your certificate of completion, you can submit your application to take your exam.

Things to look for in PMP training in Seattle

If you come across choices we haven’t listed, take the time to research the instructors. Talk to colleagues, past students, even your employer, to see what courses they may recommend.

A PMP bootcamp provider should:

• Satisfy the minimum 35 contact hours
• Provide structured content and material
• Provide a Certificate of Completion
• Provide real-life examples to sample questions and answers
• Have positive feedback through students, PMI, employers, and reviews
• Provide you with the options necessary to take and complete the course in the manner which best suits you

Contact Hours shouldn’t be confused with Continuing Education Requirements, or Professional Development Units (PDU) that are required for renewal. These contact hours are for learning the knowledge areas and processes of becoming a Professional Project Manager, passing the exam to do so, and receiving that coveted “star”.

Recommended PMP Training Options in Seattle

Again, this is a list of organizations that provide Professional Project Management Training for PMP certificates. They follow the Project Management Body of Knowledge and center the learning around the 10 knowledge areas and 5 Process Groups.

Training Options in Seattle

More and more we find ourselves in a virtual world. Not only do working project managers need options outside of in person classroom training, but companies are more likely to provide the training for you if it can be accomplished online.

Self Paced PMP Training

Self paced project management focused training allows you to work at your own pace, when you can and where you can. Most courses provide learning modules, knowledge assessments, customer service, and sample test questions and answers. The pricing is generally reasonable and these courses will provide you with the 35 contact hours required. These courses are ideal for individuals that are currently working and cannot take time off to sit in a classroom, in person or virtually. They are flexible and allow you to work within your budget, time and money.

Virtual PMP Classroom Training

Evenings and/or Weekends Format:

Live instructors provide coursework in a virtual classroom setting. The courses are often scheduled in evenings or weekends. They can last for several weeks or over the course of a few months. They have attendance requirements. If you cannot attend or are late you may need to repeat the course as well as the cost for the course. Depending on the scheduling, evenings and weekends, you may benefit more if you learn best when there is more structure.

Bootcamp Format:

Live instructors also provide the training in Boot camps and can be provided in virtual classroom settings. Boot camps are  generally 3 – 5 days of intense training. The courses range from 8 to 12 hours per day and you must be in attendance for each session. These courses are ideal if offered by a company, or if you are able to take the 3 – 5 days away from your current projects. The concentrated study may work best for individuals whose learning styles are best when they become engrossed in the coursework.

Live Instructor In Class PMP Training

In person training with a live instructor in a classroom setting is often difficult to find. If you are considering this form of training remember that the courses often have attendance requirements. They can be offered as Boot Camps, or over the course of several weeks or months. The other consideration is travel time. Individuals who are currently employed may find it difficult to schedule the time to attend.

#1 PMP Training Seattle – Brain Sensei

Pricing: $499.99 USD

The most flexible and affordable way to get training for the PMP in Vancouver is with the Brain Sensei platform.

Students often consider the Brain Sensei the best project management PMP training course provider as it has a 99.6% Exam Pass Rate, a full year of access to its self-paced courses, a community support group on Facebook, speedy student support, a unique story-based approach and much more.

Brain Sensei continually works to enhance the learning experience, recently adding an UNLIMITED Exam Simulator to help with PMP Exam Prep, creating a different exam each time with dynamically generated questions from their bank of 1,500 realistic exam questions.   The UNLIMITED Exam Simulator comes included with their live virtual instructor and self-paced courses, but is also available as a standalone solution.  Just be aware that purchasing the PMP exam simulator as a standalone won’t earn you your required 35 hours of project management education nor qualify you for the 100% pass guarantee (the Brain Sensei PMP exam prep courses will do both).

Flexibility is pivotal to learning and their 1 year of access to the PMP exam prep self-paced course gives you more than enough flexibility to fit studying for the PMP exam into a busy schedule.  Want to finish your PMP exam prep faster?  Check out their live virtual instructor PMP exam prep course.  It’s available as a 5-day bootcamp or evenings and weekends.  

The Brain Sensei PMP Exam Prep Complete Courses are up-to-date for the latest exam and PMBOK Guide and include both adaptive (agile and hybrid) and predictive (traditional/waterfall) project management practices to help students prepare for the current exam.

The cost of the self-paced PMP exam prep course is  $499.99 USD and the cost of the live virtual instructor PMP exam prep course is $1,199 USD (which includes the self-paced course and simulator).  Both courses provide everything you need to pass the current PMP exam and come with a 100% pass guarantee.  The PMP Exam Simulator is $119 USD.  It’s hard to go wrong with Brain Sensei’s offering.  Learn more about the Brain Sensei PMP Exam Prep Courses here.

Keep in mind, Brain Sensei also has a unique and proven story-based approach to PMP exam prep which sets them apart from other organizations. Studies have shown that students focus and retain more when the material is entertaining. Therefore, by harnessing the power of entertainment, Brain Sensei’s courses tap into this psychological tool – making learning fun and effective.

While this approach may sound unusual to some in the education industry, it likely sounds strategic to those who have put these methods into practice. Give it some thought, if you were to be challenged to recall facts and figures, or the plot of a movie, which would you be more confident in retaining?   Brain Sensei uses the mind’s enjoyment of storytelling to explain, and drive home all project management concepts that are taught to Brain Sensei students.

Want more details? By using the story of a Samurai in feudal Japan, Brain Sensei is able to paint a colorful visual for students. If you’ve been reading a lot about the PMP exam, you’ve likely learned that much of the study material can be described as difficult and tedious.  The material includes a great many terms and definitions, but is often lacking in conceptual examples. This is where the story of the Samurai comes in, not only are concepts introduced and explained, but they are brought to life with examples, helping students to better grasp, and retain the full concept.

#2 PMP Training Seattle – SmartPath LLC

SmartPath has been offering PMP certification training, business analysis, and Agile certification since 2007. They are experienced in supplying you with the tools, skills, and knowledge to learn the knowledge areas and processes established in the PMBOK. Their programs are known, not just for providing the 35 contact hours, but continuing education requirements as well.

The training is provided on site in Bellevue, WA or the Seattle team can coordinate training in the area, or at your place of business. Online training is also offered as well as a variety of other coursework and certification training. The training does provide the 35 contact hours necessary and you can contact them below for additional information on pricing as well as scheduling.

Address: 2018 156th Ave NE, Bellevue 98007

Website: https://www.smartpathllc.com/

E-Mail: neredahaque@smartpathllc.com

Phone: 855-762-7850

#3 PMP Training Seattle – The University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education

The University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education (UWPCE) currently provides two options for Project Management in 2022. The weekend course is 5 months in duration and begins in October. It is available online as well as at the Bellevue location.

The other option is available at the Bellevue campus as well as the downtown Seattle campus or online and begins on October 3, 2022.

You will learn

• Definition of the scope of the project,
• Choose an approach
• Development of a budget and schedule
• Use of Agile and Waterfall methodologies
• Linking project delivery
• Organizational strategy
• Tactical leadership skills
• Communication skills
• Stakeholder management practices
• Team building capabilities
• Risk management processes, and
• Change management procedures.

According to PMI and the UW website “The University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education “PMP Certification In Project Management” program has been reviewed and approved as a project management training provided by PMI. UWPCE has been approved by PMI to issue Professional Development Units (PDUs) for these courses, which meet the training requirements for Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.”

Please contact an enrollment coach to discuss price, scheduling, and scholarship possibilities.

Address: 4311 11th Avenue N.E., Suite 100 Seattle, WA 98105-4608

Website: https://www.pce.uw.edu

E-Mail: enrollmentservices@pce.uw.edu

Phone: 800-506-1325

#4 PMP Training Seattle – Key Consulting

The PMP training course for Key Consulting works with both individuals and organizations providing training that improves their project management skills. Key Consulting has centers in Bellevue, Seattle, and Olympia and also offer online courses.

They offer a complete review of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) as well as courses in shorter courses that provide Project Management Fundamentals, skills, and best practices.

Their PMP certification prep course accounts for 40 contact hours. Remember, contact hours don’t expire so if your goal or plan is to go forward with additional certifications, these additional hours can assist.

Contact Key for additional information regarding costs and scheduling. They are also available on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Address: Key Consulting Inc. 10604 NE 38th Place Suite 118 Kirkland, WA, 98033

Website: http://consulting.ky

Phone: 206-523-1927

#5 PMP Training Seattle –North Seattle College

North Seattle College has a wide variety of coursework to continue your career and go forward with your education. The Project Management Certificate course can be used towards earning a 2 year business degree as well as provide you with the contact hours to go forward with your PMP application.

The Project Management course focuses on the PMBOK as well as providing you with an introduction to MS Project. Fees are variable, depending on the students “road to opportunity”.

Contact North Seattle College to find out more about tuition, aid, scholarships, and work credits.

Address: NSC Workforce Instruction Division 9600 College Way Seattle, WA 98103

Website: https://northseattle.edu

E-Mail: william.holt@seattlecolleges.edu

Phone: 206-934-4523

#6 PMP Training Seattle – Project Management Academy

The Project Management Academy offers Live in class Boot Camp Training in Kirkland, WA and Seattle as well as online training. The live courses boot camps are offered several times throughout 2022 and run for 4 days each course.

Project Management Academy’s boot camp provides you with the People, Process, and Business Environment knowledge, as well as the Agile, Hybrid, and Waterfall management approaches. The course satisfies the 35 contact hour requirement and the live courses are from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM for the four day period.

Project Management Academy guarantees that their courses will run, however, since they are boot camp training, attendance and punctuality is imperative. Contact them for further information on pricing and dates.

Address: Project Management Academy, PO Box 844661, Boston, MA 02284-4661

Website: https://projectmanagementacademy.net/

Phone: (877) 637-0450

#7 PMP Training Seattle – Cadence Management Corporation

Seattle is known for project management and Cadence Management Corporation is a training and project management firm that offers the focused training required to apply for your PMP certificate.

They offer an action based, flexible, and adaptive methodology that is simple and scalable for every project. Cadence Management Corporation works with Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid methodologies so you can structure your learning within a current team or organization.

Their courses are offered in-house, for organizations that wish to offer the course to project managers or online to individuals. They are available for international students as well as U.S. Students.

By contacting Cadence you can find out the best pricing and scheduling options for you.

Website: https://cadencemc.com

E-Mail: cadence@cadencemc.com

Phone: 1.800.448.0173

Taking the Exam

Once your course is about to be completed, begin your application with PMI. PMI randomly audits the applications and may ask for additional information to verify that you have met all of the requirements prior to sitting for the exam.

You can find the center closest to you by checking the PMI website. Make sure to leave yourself enough time for additional study if you require it. Join Facebook groups or study groups. Make and utilize flashcards and sample questions and answers.

As stated before, many of the companies above offer exam simulators. Brain Sensei’s exam simulator is up to date with the latest questions and answers to get you fully prepared.

Once you have completed your exam you are a Project Management Professional.

Many of the companies above can also provide you with additional learning opportunities to keep your certificate up to date. Every three years you will be required to submit 60 Professional Development Units (PDU) to Project Management Institute.

One easy way to get this going is to join PMI. You will have the ability to join local chapters within Seattle, or wherever you happen to be, networking, mentoring, and continually learning.

Seattle PMP

Courses vary in prices. Most companies listed in this article provide the pricing information on their websites, but may have discounts, scholarships, and other cost saving features, so contacting them may be your best option.

Check with your company to see if you are eligible for reimbursement or if they might be willing to sponsor training. PMP certification is as valuable to them as it is to you.