Yes, Project Management course is marketable in Kenya. However, if you don’t do what we are going to discuss in the post, you may find yourself unemployed even after pursuing Project Management course.
Project Management can be pursued at undergraduate, diploma, certificate, masters or PhD level. At diploma and certificate levels it’s only marketable to individuals who already possess undergraduate or postgraduate qualification and want to pursue the course to supplement their skills. For instance, someone may be holding a position that requires field work but he doesn’t know how to manage a project. By enrolling and pursuing Project Management diploma course, he will gain necessary skills to enable him become more efficient in his work.
Those who combine project management diploma with a relevant undergraduate degree are more marketable in the NGO and research institutions. Project Management is an added advantage.
Masters in Project Management is more marketable than a diploma or certificate course. If an individual does not pursue Monitoring and Evaluation, he should go for Project Management. But it’s good to pursue Masters in Project Management for promotion purposes. Pursuing the course without professional experience is a bad idea—you might lack opportunities even with the Masters course.
Project Management as a first degree may not be so marketable unless you combine with a professional course or advance for Monitoring & Evaluation Masters Program.If you are a student pursuing Bachelor’s in Project Management, please look for a suitable professional course to pursue. I suggest that you pursue Project Management Professional (PMP) which is globally recognized and proceed for a Master’s program in MBA or Monitoring and Evaluation.
Best Institutions to Pursue Project Management Course in Kenya and Admission Requirements
Kenya Institute of Management Diploma in Project Management
Admission Criteria
Module I
– KCSE Mean grade C-; with D+ in English and Maths/Accounting/Business Studies/Economics/Commerce
– Division II in KCE
– One Principal Pass at the KACE
– Completion of KNQA Level 5
– A certificate of experimental learning issued by KNQA
– University students
Fee – 30,000/-
Module II
– A degree from a recognized institution
Fee 35,000/-
Module III
– Progression from Module II
– No direct admission
Fee 35,000/-
Module IV
All students are expected to:
– Write a research project in the area of specialization (6 months)
– Participate in attachment process (8 – 12 weeks)
Fee 10,000/-
Read more information here https://www.fixusjobs.com/project-management-admission-requirements-in-kenya/
With a Degree course in Project Management plus a professional course, it will take you 6 months to two years to secure employment. If you possess a Masters course in Project Management, a professional course and at least 3 years’ experience in project management, it will take you less than a year to secure employment in Kenya.
I won’t advise you to pursue a diploma course in Project Management without a relevant undergraduate course. A diploma alone may not get you a job anywhere in Kenya. It’s better you pursue a diploma course like Electrical and electronics Engineering which can enable you to employ yourself.
Project Management course is best pursued when one is already employed. By doing so, you’ll easily get a job promotion or salary increment. Jobs for Project Managers are sought in NGOs, government institutions, research organizations, insurance companies, United Nations,real estate, World Bank and several other institutions where projects are done.
The average salary of a project Manager with a degree course and 1-3 years’ experience is Ksh 120,000 to Ksh 200,000. Someone with a Masters in Project Management, a professional course and at least 5 years’ experience earns upwards of Ksh250,000. NGOs are the best places to look for employment as a Project Manager.
One disadvantage of Project Management course is that you are trained to be an employee of someone. It’s hard to find a Project Manager owning his own company that deals with project management issues.
What I know about Kenya in regards to employment is that it doesn’t matter which course you pursued in college, what matters most is your network, luck, your aggressiveness and fate. You might do everything right but you end up being frustrated.
