Anyone can call themselves an "Accountant" but you're only allowed to call yourself a "Chartered Accountant" if you are:

• an NZICA member who has trained for 7 years to attain your qualification
• subject to the professional bodies code of ethics
• continuing your education programme; and
• subject to disciplinary procedures

In short if you employ a Chartered Accountant you are at least ensuring that some important boxes have been ticked.  Can the same be said for Project Managers?  The short answer is no.

Organisational expenditure on capital and operational expenditure projects will regularly extend to the tens of millions.  How can you assure yourself that the Project Manager you appointed has the necessary capability to ensure your investments are managed successfully?

The recently published KMPG survey on Project Management practice in New Zealand reports that:

The KMPG survey goes on to report:

What does this mean - that less than a third of project managers actually practice Project Management?  How do the rest manage what they're doing?  To compare professions, it would be similar to reporting that only a third of all Chartered Accountants complied with Accounting Standards. This is simply unthinkable.

Should Project Managers in New Zealand be held to a higher standard?  What do you think should be done about improving Project Management practice in New Zealand?

Project management certifications common in New Zealand