Arras People Feedback
Project Management Census Aims to Shed Light on Project Management Practices in 2012
Dec 14th
The 2012 Arras People Project Management Census was opened to project management professionals across the globe this week.
Now in its seventh year, the Project Management Census – once collated – will provide a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of what is happening in the project & programme management fields both in the UK and worldwide. The subsequent Project Management Benchmark Report (PMBR) is regarded by fellow professionals and students of the industry as the most comprehensive report available for the project management marketplace.
New for 2012 is the reach of the Census, looking at the project management marketplace and outlook for 2012 across the globe. Alongside practitioners of project management, the Census also solicits the views of those hiring project management staff.
The Census will give us a clearer view of what is happening in the project management marketplace and focuses on issues such as;
- Project & programme-related training and accreditation
- Remuneration & bonus details
- Job sectors
- Contracting-specific traits
- Permanent employment-specific traits
- Job searches & sector relocation
“This year we decided that the project management population is ready for its own Census. We have increased the focus beyond the UK to help give a truly global view on where project management is at now and what is in store for us in 2012” said John Thorpe, Managing Director/Founder of Arras People. “The Census includes demographics from current practicing project professionals as well as those responsible for hiring. This will help us to understand if the current project management profession is meeting the demands of those who require their services”
The PMBR has been cited often in many different presentations worldwide since its inception in 2005; additionally, project management professionals have repeatedly cited the Report when looking to present current data and trends in the profession. The Arras People study remains the only report targeting the climate of project & programme management through the direct polling of practitioners and professionals within PPM.
Participants in the Census will have the opportunity to receive a free copy of the final PMBR upon its release, which is tentatively scheduled for early February 2012. Non-participants in the Census will not have access to the report until mid-2012.
Individuals can take the Census online > Project Managment Census (all responses are confidential)
More details on the Census and access to last year’s report are available at: Project Management Benchmark Reports
APM pick up the Arras People Report
Dec 12th
The Association for Project Management (APM) released this news last week based on Arras People’s information on the project management marketplace. The new project management census for 2012 is now open for anyone to take part with an interest in project management, it takes up to 10 minutes to complete and you will receive the new report early February 2012. >> Take part now
APMP qualification can earn PPM practitioners an extra £10k
The recent Salaries and Day Rates Review for Project Management Personnel, based on the 2011 Project Management Benchmark Report from recruitment specialists Arras People, shows that project and programme managers could earn up to £10,000 more per year if they hold the Association for Project Management’s APMP qualification.
“It would appear that for most programme and project management practitioners the reality is that accreditations are not only becoming increasingly mandated when looking for a new role, but more importantly they are also rewarded with higher salaries and day rates.” said the report’s author and Arras People managing director John Thorpe.
The survey of programme and project management practitioners suggests that APMP can have a positive impact on both remuneration and contractor day rates with 52% of those with the qualification commanding fees of £400 to £600 per day.
The popularity of the ubiquitous PRINCE2® accreditations, long seen as an industry standard methodology, is also reflected in the survey, although the overall impact on salary is “not significant” due to the fact so many practitioners hold the accreditation.
“Many project managers have hit mandatory requirement that they have PRINCE2® which rightly or wrongly has achieved the de facto standard” said John Thorpe “The PRINCE2® accreditation does have a positive impact on the PPM practitioner distribution by salary across the whole and also when reviewed for just project managers. As expected, because it is now a baseline accreditation the actual difference is not significant reflecting its ‘me too’ position.”
With the profession facing tough economic times and jobs and contracts at a premium, increasing numbers of professionals are turning to the APMP qualification to provide an edge in the employment market. A shortened route to APMP, launched in 2010, specifically for those holding the PRINCE2® Practitioner qualification is especially attractive to those wishing to stand out from the rest.
Liz Wilson, head of Professional Standards and Knowledge at APM said: “Those who have achieved the APMP have had their project management knowledge professionally recognised by APM. These research findings from Arras emphasise that employers place a high commercial value on this achievement, too.”
APMP is part of the association’s suite of qualifications providing support for professionals throughout their career. Accredited at IPMA Level D and SCQF Level 7, APMP is a knowledge based qualification for those wishing to achieve a broad level of project management knowledge sufficient to participate in projects from individual assignments through to large capital projects. Candidates can study for APMP on a variety of different courses run by accredited providers or should there be a desire to undertake self study, candidates can enter one of four open examinations run by the APM.
For more information visit the APMP webpage.
PRINCE2® is the Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries.
Arras People Kicks Off the APM Roadshow Season
Sep 1st
The latest dates for the APM Roadshow talks are – Derby 13th October, Leeds 25th October, Milton Keynes 24th November. Just click through to book your place.
Over the last three years, the project management marketplace has seen winners and losers. Demand for project managers has increased significantly in some sectors whilst others have suffered through cutbacks and redundancies. John Thorpe kicks off the presentation with an overview of the current conditions in the project management marketplace.
John will be presenting answers to these crucial questions;
- How are the salary and rates currently holding up?
- Which sectors are experiencing a demand for project management talent?
- What are organisations looking for in their project professionals?
The project management recruitment market has seen changes over the last three years. It has become increasingly competitive, with many project professionals experiencing frustration in finding the right opportunity and successfully interviewing for roles.
Lindsay Scott shares her experiences and insights into how project managers can differentiate themselves and standout in a crowded marketplace. Lindsay will provide practical guidance on how to find the right career opportunity; how to present yourself (against what organisations are looking for); and the project management CV.
John Thorpe and Lindsay Scott are Directors of Arras People, a project management recruitment specialist. From 2002, Arras People have worked with organisations across all industry sectors and business functions placing project professionals in contract and permanent roles. Arras People are also known for their annual project management benchmark report and quarterly project management salary guides.
>> Visit the APM events page for more details and bookings
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The team at Arras People are kicking off a series of Project Management Careers and Marketplace talks at the Association for Project Management (APM) Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire 
branch meetings. Meetings held in the region will feature a main topic presenter followed by a short, punchy 30 minute project management careers based talk by Arras People.
The series starts on the 12th July 2011 with John Thorpe, Managing Director at Arras People who will be looking at the Current Project Management Marketplace. The talk will cover current salary and rate levels; current demands in training and qualifications from organisations looking for project management talent; and key information from the Project Management Benchmark Report which covers the market in 2011.
Dates are also scheduled for 21st September and 5th October where Dr Michael Hides and Lindsay Scott, respectively, will be talking about current topical areas in project management careers development and the marketplace.
Each session promises to be a practical thought provoking look at how the project management marketplace is operating at key points of the year; investigate key themes that impact a project professional’s career and provide insider tips on the recruitment market.
“We’ve been corporate members of the APM for a number of years and the branch meetings are well attended by everyone at Arras,” said Lindsay Scott, Client Services Director of Arras People. “This short and sweet style of talks gives us an opportunity to take some of our project management careers advice to a wider audience and it doesn’t matter how experienced the audience is in project management there is always something new to learn about the marketplace.”
Philip Smelt, Chairman of the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Branch of the APM said “we seized upon this opportunity offered by Arras People to keep our members informed of the project management job market, particularly in these difficult times.”
Attendance at APM Branch meetings is free for APM members and £10 for non-members.
Events can be booked through the APM website at: http://www.apm.org.uk/events
The first event on the 12th July can be booked directly at: http://www.apm.org.uk/event/influencer-power-change-anything-0
Arras People Presents PPM Insider White Paper on Quarter 2 Market Conditions
Jul 21st
Arras People released their fourth PPM Insider white paper today regarding the current state of the project & programme management recruitment market in the UK.
The latest edition of PPM Insider points to a variety of discoveries about the market at large during Quarter 2 (Apr-June 2011). For one, project management personnel remain apprehensive about changing jobs despite the anticipated impacts of inflation, low pay rises, negative media and even fears about the true status of the economic recovery.
We once again pitted public versus private sector remuneration, learning that the long-held view that within the private sector sat greater worker pay and benefits might no longer be the reality. Using data from both the ONS and Policy Exchange, Arras People surmised that private sector pay needs a jolt in order to begin keeping pace with a recovering economy after cutbacks and sacrifices became a temporary norm only a few years ago.
Issue 4 also reveals that more candidates are refusing job offers in recent months than in previous quarters. The driving force seems to be candidates’ need to settle down into the “right role”, another perspective alteration that parallels recovery-based thinking. Employers’ ability to meet their recruitment requirements may suffer for increased job seeker self-confidence.
“This, linked with the lack of candidate churn, may well lead to increased recruitment costs and extended recruitment cycles for many potential employers,” PPM Insider reveals.
Managing Director John Thorpe traditionally collates the report for Arras People. He said recently, “The lack of churn in the market caused by ongoing fears and insecurity amongst candidates will have a significant impact on companies ability to fill open vacancies with appropriate talent over the coming months. Whilst there may be job seekers, this does not always equate to suitable talent. As such companies will have to review again how they can tempt people to change organisation and which channels will help them identify suitable talent in the programme and project management domain”.
The PPM Insider is a quarterly publication launched in November 2010 and produced by Arras People, the UK Specialists in Project & Programme Management Recruitment Services. The report features original data which has been collected and compiled by Arras People in order to produce the most up-to date picture of the UK’s PPM sector including salary and day rate data.
Copies of the report are available on subscription from Arras People. Those interested in receiving the quarterly paper should get in touch with Arras People via email at PPMI@arraspeople.co.uk. Alternatively, those interested in receiving a copy should go to http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/project-management-recruitment-agencies/project-management-salary-rates-salaries-ppminsider/ to learn more about this quarterly compendium of analysis of UK free market and PPM personnel.
Arras People to Exhibit at PMI Global Congress Event
Apr 11th
HEYWOOD, LANCASHIRE, 11th April 2011 – Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, will be in attendance at the three-day PMI® Global Congress EMEA this May in Dublin.
The worldwide decorated event, to be held at Convention Centre Dublin 9-11th May, is a grand networking opportunity for those within the project management profession to network and sample the expertise of over 800 practitioners in the field of project management. Run by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), the three-day professional extravaganza will give PPM peers sufficient opportunities to discuss common issues within the trade, as well discover innovative solutions and best practices while discovering more about the latest trends, tools and techniques from project management experts worldwide.
Arras People will send John Thorpe (Managing Director) and Lindsay Scott (Client Services Director) to the conference to display as part of the Careers Central recruitment booths in the exhibit hall of the Congress, which offers a highly targeted platform for companies to target & recruit top project management talent.
Scott currently maintains a quarterly magazine column for PMI’s American trade magazine PM Network that targets careers-related issues for the professional project management audience. Both Scott and Thorpe have served as directors of Arras People since its 2002 inception. Since those beginnings, both continue to look forward to any opportunities that allow them to interact directly with project management professionals and provide project management careers expertise.
“Being at the EMEA Global Congress is a great opportunity to provide the same kind of practical advice I cover in the PM Network magazine,” Scott says. “Each day Arras People provides 1-2-1 careers advice and consultations to project professionals so I know how popular and welcomed the opportunity is to talk to a third party about careers and opportunities. It will certainly be a busy three days for us.”
Opportunities to attend this event are still available, and it’s unclear to date if this internationally-renowned PMI event may not come as close to UK shores again in the near future. Check out the PMI Global Congress 2011 website (http://congresses.pmi.org/EMEA2011/) to learn more about this event.
END
About Arras People
Arras People is a Project Management company that is predominantly working in the Recruitment and Resourcing areas of Programme and Project Management where they bring Programme and Project knowledge and experience to the marketplace. Arras People works with some of the Top 20 project management consultancies in the UK, including public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, and marketing/media organizations, as well as several not-for-profit and charities placing Permanent, Interim and Temporary Project Professionals.
Arras People’s Job Search Support Service draws to a close
Mar 30th
Since April 2009, Arras People have been working in conjunction with the DWP and Job Centre Plus in offering unemployed professionals our Jobsearch Support Service. The scheme was designed to help unemployed professionals back into work and over the past two years we as an organisation have worked with over 600 professionals, providing an individually tailored service to help them approach the job market with vigor.
Unfortunately due to recent changes in government policy it is now time for us to draw the service to a close following a successful two years. During this time we have seen huge numbers of candidates flourish in the job market, using the advice we have provided around CV Development, Job Applications and Interview Technique to successfully find themselves new opportunities.
So what now for candidates who are still looking for careers advice? Well, the most obvious answer to that would be our Project Management Careers Clinics. Again, this is an individually tailored service focused around helping candidates get the most out of their CV whilst providing guidance on anything from next career steps to choosing potential qualifications. The service is conducted via telephone so you don’t need to leave the comfort of your own home, and the 30 minute private consultation has proven to be an invaluable investment for a whole host of project professionals since its inception.
The service is incredibly straight forward to sign up for and we have slots to suit most people’s availability, so book today if you are looking to take your project career to the next level!
Arras People Release Report of the UK Project Management Market 2011
Feb 18th
Heywood, Lancashire, UK, 18th February 2011: Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, used independent research company Benchpoint’s™ unique real time polling technology to question 1525 permanent and contract Programme and Project Management Professionals during January 2011.
The Project Management Benchmark Report 2011 shows how the UK’s economic turbulence is affecting project management practitioners’ earnings, aspirations and professional life.
As we entered 2011 talk still abounded about a possible double dip recession and levels of business confidence were questioned; VAT increased to 20%; food and energy prices were on the up, and a raft of other tax changes appeared in the pipeline. Added to all that, the wider impact of the deficit reduction programme started to become apparent as news of cuts and job losses started to appear.
So overall we had lots to ask our respondents about their economic well being and job security through our survey. This year we also took the opportunity to revisit training and accreditation, professionalism and explored the impact of social media in the world of project management.
Survey highlights:
- For 83% of practitioners, remuneration was down during 2010 both in real terms and against increased levels of inflation
- Amongst the public sector employees, 14% of respondents entered 2011 under the threat of redundancy
- Unemployment amongst the PPM respondents recorded at 15%
- Practitioners reported an increased feeling that ageism is once again flourishing in the recruitment process
- After a tough couple of years contractors report seeing light at the end of the tunnel with more opportunity, though rates are still under pressure
- Private sector confidence rising, though pay is not; whilst the public sector prepare for hard times
- Training budgets under further strain in 2011, but Prince2 still holds it dominating position as the de-facto standard
- Only 37% of respondents are aware of their organisations social media policy
- One respondent reports that the much maligned “office smoker” has a new challenger in the form of “social media users” in respect of time off the job!
Commented John Thorpe, Managing Director of Arras People, “This is our sixth annual survey of the project management profession here in the UK, and we are continuing to build an unparalleled repository of information which gives both employers and practitioners a valuable insight into what is happening in this important market.
“Whilst the current market is still tough for many practitioners in both the public and private sectors; we can see clear indications of rising confidence and increased opportunity in the private sector; at the same time the public sector is moving in the opposite direction with low confidence, stagnant earnings and the anticipation of job losses.”
The full version of the report can be downloaded from the Arras People Website at: http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/project-and-programme-management-resources/the-project-management-benchmark-report-from-arras-people-2011/
NOTES ABOUT THE REPORT
Survey methodology and demographics
- Arras People carried out a Benchpoint™ on-line survey in January 2011. Emails were sent to eligible respondents and 1525 responses were received.
- There is a confidence level of 95% and a error margin of +/- 2.49%. (We are 95% sure that any given answer is within plus or minus 2.49% of what the general population of project management professionals would answer).
- Survey demographics:
- Status – Employee 56%; Contractor 29%; Unemployed 15%
- Gender – Male 70%; Female 30%
- Age – Under 34 24%; 35-49 46%; 50+ 29%
- 60% from London & South east, the rest evenly distributed between the regions
- Sectors – Private sector 52%; Public sector 28%; Charity/NFP sector 4 %
About Arras People:
Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent, contract or interim positions.
Arras Services began trading in February 2002, and now provides its services to many of UK’s leading blue chip organisations in the UK, as well as public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, marketing and media organizations, not for profit and charities.
Contacts:
Richard Gaunt MCIPR
Gaunt Corporate Affairs and Business communication
London
W4 3AP
0771 1691928
Lindsay Scott, Arras People
47 York Street
Heywood
Lancashire OL10 4NN
Tel: 0845 680 6444
Fax: 0845 680 8047
Arras People’s PM Benchmark Survey Opens Today
Dec 10th
For the sixth consecutive year, Arras People, the project management recruitment people, will tap the feelings and views of project & programme management professionals throughout the UK. The 2011 Arras People Project Management Benchmark Survey opened Thursday to UK-based PPM professionals, re-opening an annual project of determining the climate and mood of the Britons who tackle project & programme management each day.
Once all responses are collated, the ensuing Project Management Benchmark Report (PMBR) provides a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of what is happening in the project & programme management fields, a study without parallel in the UK. Such is the PMBR’s national and international regard by fellow professionals and students of the industry that those who cite its findings continuously since its 2005 founding that the Benchmark Report today stands as the most respected report on the PM marketplace available in the UK.
The PMBR has been cited often in many different presentations worldwide since its inception in 2005; additionally, project management professionals have repeatedly cited the Report when looking to present current data and trends in the profession. The Arras People study remains the only report targeting the climate of project & programme management through the direct polling of practitioners and professionals within PPM.
Participants in the survey will have the opportunity to receive a free copy of the final PMBR upon its release, which is tentatively scheduled for late January 2011. One fortunate participant in line to receive a free Apple iPad, compliments of Arras People. Non-participants in the survey will not have full access to the report’s findings until mid-2011.
Only UK-based project management professionals are invited to participate in the 2011 Arras People Project Management Benchmark Survey. Individuals can take the survey online – survey now closed
Scott Advises New Project Managers in Podcast
Lindsay Scott, co-founder of Arrs People, provided information and hints about breaking into the project management trade in interview with the Project Management Institute.
Scott’s answers to questions about getting a start on a project management career are available to the wider public for downloading in a podcast from the Career Central section of the PMI website. Specific questions targeted Scott’s industry-acclaimed perspective on developing experience, showing a desire within a company structure for project opportunities, learning the jargon for other project-centric work, and other careers tips about cover letters and accounting for gaps in your career.
The entirety of the interview is available through this PMI Career Central web page.
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Arras People’s Michael Hides to Speak at BCS ASSIST Event
Sep 8th
Arras People senior project management consultant Michael Hides will speak to Association for Informatics Professionals in Health and Social Care (ASSIST) delegates from London and the South East at their event in London 22nd September.
Michael will be one of five different speakers at the one-day “Facing the dark clouds and winning” event for the specialist interest group chapter under the heading of the British Computer Society (BCS). His expertise in the job market for project management, particularly in healthcare and IT, will allow him to speak with authority on matters concerning market trends in Healthcare IT jobs. Michael intends to use his experience as a senior consultant at Arras People to show how prospective job candidates can exploit their experience and maximise opportunity in both their current and future roles.
Michael is currently scheduled on the itinerary (.PDF) to speak at 1.15pm. Those who wish to book a place at the event can do so whether they are an ASSIST member (free) or not online. Michael is also a chartered engineer that has worked on projects and in organisations both large and small. He joined Arras People in 2007, bringing with him relevant skills and experience from project management and in sectors including engineering and manufacturing.
Arras People’s bevy of project management consultants and directors are readily available to speak and present at events and conferences geared toward careers, recruitment, project & programme management, PMO and P3O (programme, project and portfolio office). We have previously spoken at events for:
- Association for Project Management (APM)
- Best Practice Showcase 2010
- APM Aberdeen
- Guardian Careers Live Forum
- Maven Training
- University of East London
- APM London
If you’d like book one of Arras People’s speakers for your upcoming conference or event, contact us today.
