Introduction
Twenty-five people attended the last New Member Orientation meeting held on July 13, 2022, for the Orange County chapter of the Project Management Institute. Coming from different backgrounds and from various industries, most attendees were already familiar with the field of Project Management and working in the discipline in some capacity. However, there were some questions about the Project Management Institute itself.
So what is the Project Management Institute (PMI)?
In a nutshell, PMI is a global not-for-profit professional association with a mission to advance the project management profession via “the development of standards, research, education [and] publication.”[i] Headquartered in Newton Square, PA, PMI provides project management guidelines, rules, and characteristics across all industry sectors.[ii]
What is PMI_OC?
Since part of PMI’s mandate is to mature the project management profession, local chapters of PMI allow volunteers to connect with other project management professionals, develop skills and give back to the local area.[iii] PMI-OC advances the career of local project management practitioners by providing the latest in PM training. A quick look at the PMI-OC website displays various training opportunities for PM practitioners to gain practical skills and be successful in the profession.
PMI-OC also provides a convenient means for professional networking and career development. Indeed, this important point hit home for a couple of attendees.
Sam L.—who drove in from Eastvale in Riverside County—is seeking to transition from the construction industry and go into Cybersecurity. He hopes to learn new skills and connect with new people in his endeavor.
On the other end, Geno A. is currently in the IT sector now. He simply wants to develop the necessary project management skills, including gaining proper certification, to become a Project Manager in IT.
Why Volunteer?
The key to getting the full benefit of being involved in the local PMI-OC chapter is volunteerism. Not only will members be able to engage with each other, but there is also a chance to learn about a new industry and gain practical experience.
Moreover, being a volunteer provides a chance to help shape the organization’s direction and, in turn, be a team-builder in the chapter itself. Project management then comes full circle! Who would have known project management offered so much?
[i] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Management_Institute)
[ii] (New Member Orientation)
[iii] (PMI Chapters)
