Association for Project Management

From early careers to industry partnerships, it’s been a week of building connections and sharing insight across the profession.

We visited Network Rail HQ in Milton Keynes to introduce APM to their project management graduates ahead of their September start, opening early conversations about the profession and the opportunities ahead.

Members of the team attended the CIPD Festival of Work, joining discussions on the evolving workplace and the importance of skills, inclusion and development. They also spent time with partners including Assemble You, who provide training materials for APM Learning, and Inclusive Employers, who support our work in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

A strong mix of early talent engagement and shared learning across sectors.

Want to build your project delivery capability this year? APM has two regional conferences designed to help you deepen your skills and learn from real project experience.

APM North West Network Conference - People and Behaviours: Delivering Successful Projects
• 22 September, Manchester
• A focused look at communication, leadership, collaboration, inclusion and integrity, with insight from practitioners across the region.
• Early bird tickets available until 14 June.

Book now: https://bit.ly/3RCsvHI

APM South Wales and West of England Network Conference - Delivering Change: Projects that Benefit Society
• 5 November, Bristol
• Exploring effective change delivery, benefit management and regional case studies that show how projects create meaningful societal value.
• Early bird tickets available until 31 July.

Book now: https://bit.ly/43bRvrK

Turns out, you can't switch off the project manager in you.

Tamsin finds herself quietly using her project management skills outside of her 9-5, and honestly, we get it. It's all in a day's work - running quality checks on the school run to negotiating family holidays with some very tricky stakeholders.

Sound familiar? Read Tamsin's full story: https://bit.ly/4vtLm6e

And let us know in the comments when you find yourself thinking like a project manager in your downtime.

Thinking about a career change? You might already be using project management skills without realising it.

In a recent APM webinar, Joanna Evans shared how she moved from secondary teaching and senior leadership into a project role at engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald. Her insight applies to anyone exploring a new direction. Once you understand the language of project management, it becomes much easier to spot the project‑related experience you’ve built in other roles.

This chart, based on the webinar content, uses teaching as one example of how everyday work experience can translate into project skills.

Which other backgrounds do you think can be reframed into project work?

Watch the webinar here: https://bit.ly/3ShF4Iw

Recent activity has seen the APM team connecting with project professionals across defence, construction, engineering and retail.

Amelia and Adam visited BAE Systems in Portsmouth, where they met members of the Project Management and Controls community to learn more about the progress being made and ambitions for the future. A particular highlight was the opportunity to see HMS Queen Elizabeth, a powerful reminder of the scale and complexity of the projects this community supports.

Gary and Helen attended UKREiiF in Leeds, joining conversations on the future of construction, engineering and the built environment at one of the UK's largest industry events.

In London, Gina attended The Retail Bulletin's Future of Operations event, where retailers came together to discuss the trends, opportunities and challenges shaping the future of operations across the sector.

A great mix of conversations, learning and shared insight from across the project profession and beyond.

Celebrating the incredible people giving their time to support project professionals this

Meet Tim Williams, Lauren Garrett, Sami Ahmad, Jess Ward, Victoria Heppell, Tanya Makombe and Emile Fakhoury. Seven project professionals from our vibrant volunteer community, each with their own story to tell.

Our volunteers show up in so many ways. They organise events, speak at conferences, write blogs and create resources that help the whole profession grow. And the reasons they get involved?
- Giving something back to the profession they love
- Sharing what they know with others
- Growing their own skills and careers along the way
- Meeting new people and building lasting connections

Whatever your reason for volunteering, there's a place for you in our community too. Explore volunteering opportunities at APM: https://bit.ly/4aaHDCm

What does it mean to lead with clarity in a world that never stops changing?

That was the question running through Katie Williams' mind at this year's APM Conference.

As an assistant project manager at Transport for Wales, working in a sector being reshaped by rapid innovation, the conference felt like exactly the right place to be.

By the end, Katie walked away with a lot to think about:
- Navigating an uncertain future (Angela Oguntala)
- Inspiring the next generation of project professionals (Robin Carter Evans)
- Building a high-performing team (Eddy Datubo)

Read her reflections in full: https://bit.ly/43a27HG

Did you attend the APM Conference? We'd love to hear - what's one takeaway that's stuck with you?