Are Project Management Certifications worth the effort these days?

Over the last 20 years, I’ve found that conversations about which Project Management certifications are “best” is a regular topic. Clients tend to be rightly interested in understanding what their competitors and peers are offering to their employees, and practitioners want to ensure they’re keeping their skills relevant.

It’s true some great Program Directors don’t have any – many years ago I had a client in charge of a huge program with a trade as his only qualification. But staying competitive in today’s technology project management landscape requires more than just experience; it requires up-to-date knowledge, frameworks, and certifications that help validate your skills and demonstrate a commitment to your own professional development.

There’s no “one size fits all” approach to any learning, and this applies equally to Project Management certifications. The style of learning you enjoy (remote, classroom) and the level of academic achievement you’re striving for (certificate, diploma, masters) are personal considerations. At Lonsdale Solutions our core expertise is Project Management, and our team hold certifications most relevant to their career goals. We support our team in gaining and maintaining project management certifications and memberships – we strongly believe certifications deliver value, and combining them serves to deepen expertise.

For the purposes of this guide, I’ve excluded tertiary or academic programs and focussed on certifications. I’ll explore PMO and Portfolio specific certifications another time. For brevity, not every certification is listed, rather some of the more popular ones, and those that provide good bang for your buck - I hope anyone considering completing a new certification finds this useful. 

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The Certification Landscape in Australia

Australia’s tech sector has adopted various popular project management certifications that reflect global standards but also align with our local industry needs. These certifications can broadly be divided into:

• Agile and Hybrid Frameworks (e.g., Scrum CSM, PSM I, AgilePM, SAFe, PMI-ACP)

• Traditional Project Management (e.g., PRINCE2, PMP, MSP, CPPD)

• Portfolio and Program Management (e.g., MoP, PgMP, P30)

Given that Agile is now the default delivery methodology in many Australian tech organisations – from startups to enterprise IT teams, I’m going to start by diving into those certifications which are most relevant for Agile environments, and how to choose the best fit based on your career stage and goals:

1. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) - Offered by the Scrum Alliance, this is ideal for those new to Agile. It focuses on the Scrum framework and the role of the Scrum Master in facilitating iterative development. It’s short, affordable, and widely accepted – a great baseline certification.

Best for: Early-career professionals, Scrum teams, Team Leads.

2. Agile Project Manager (AgilePM) - The foundation course provides an approach to managing projects using Agile principles, including core principles, roles, and the lifecycle of an Agile project. The practitioner course builds on this, focusing on applying and tailoring the methodology in real-world scenarios where hybrid or varying approaches exist across an organisation.

Best for: Those who want to step up to Agile project management or PMs who currently manage smaller Agile projects and programs

3. PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) - PMI’s ACP certification is framework-agnostic and covers a broader range of Agile methods beyond Scrum, including Kanban, Lean, XP, and more. It’s perfect for professionals working in hybrid or Scaled Agile environments.

Best for: Experienced professionals looking to validate deep Agile knowledge.

4. SAFe® Agilist (Leading SAFe) - The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is gaining traction in large enterprises across Australia, especially in banking and government, and is something we’re regularly asked for at Lonsdale Solutions. This certification provides tools for managing Agile at Scale across multiple teams and portfolios.

Best for: Mid- to senior-level professionals working in large organisations.

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Agile isn’t the only option you should consider. A strong foundation in the theory of project management is exceptionally valuable and there are great options for those starting or looking to progress their career. Below are some popular options for different career stages:

Early Career (0–5 years)

If you’re starting out in tech project management, your focus should be on foundational skills and broad exposure.

• CSM or PSM I (Professional Scrum Master by Scrum.org) – Great entry points with minimal prerequisites.

• PRINCE2 Foundation – Very traditional, it’s widely used in public sector projects in Australia.

• AgilePM Foundation – Combines Agile and structured thinking, excellent for junior PMs.

These certifications are relatively low-cost and time-efficient, offering strong ROI for those establishing themselves in project roles.

Mid to Senior Career (5+ years)

Once you have real-world project experience, aim for credentials that reflect advanced understanding and leadership.

• PRINCE2 Practitioner, Certified Practising Project Manager (CPPM), Project Management Professional (PMP) – Essential if working in structured or hybrid environments. Each take a lot of work to gain and demonstrate a commitment to the profession.

• SAFe®, Scrum Master Certified (SMC®), PMI-ACP – Valuable for navigating enterprise Agile transformations.

• Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), Certified Practising Project Director (CPPD), Program Management Professional (PgMP) – Cover program-level management, a crucial skill in complex, multi-project environments. Suitable for project leaders, those who manage major programs (or want to) and professionals looking to bridge delivery and strategy or seeking to transition into portfolio roles.

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Final Thoughts

Australia’s technology sector is competitive, and the right project management certification can significantly enhance your employability and impact, and is definitely worth the investment of effort and time. Classic foundations like Prince2 and PMP remain highly valuable, and Agile certifications like CSM and SAFe are essential in today’s iterative delivery world. Strategic options like MSP and PgMP are indispensable for those moving up the leadership ladder.

Whether you’re leading a Scrum team or managing complex Programs, the certification path you choose should reflect both your current role and future aspirations. Investing in the right credentials not only sharpens your skills - it sends a strong signal to employers that you’re serious about delivering results in a complex, fast-paced tech environment.

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I’d love to hear what certifications people have found most useful in their career – let me know in the comments below.