How to become a project manager

Begin your project management career

1. Gain foundational project management skills in a VET-level course such as a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice. 
2. Increase your skills and employability with an undergraduate course such as a Bachelor of Business (Management). 
3. Consider advancing to a Graduate Certificate in Project Management or a more specialised postgraduate course such as a Master of Global Project Management. 
4. Register for accreditation with the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM). 
   
    

What is a project manager?

Project managers are needed in a huge range of industries, including tech, manufacturing, construction, government, and the arts. Whatever your industry, as a project manager, you’ll use your killer organisational and people skills to manage and motivate a team to keep projects on track. 

What does a project manager do?

A project manager is responsible for coordinating all the different aspects that need to work together for a project to be successful—things like finances, timeline, risk, and most importantly, people. For example, if you’re a project manager for a tech company, you might run meetings with developers, update senior leaders on progress, and manage budgets and project milestones.  

The project management skills you will learn in your studies are transferable across industries—and sought after worldwide. 

Your day-to-day tasks as a project manager might include:

• Leading meetings
• Hiring and managing your team
• Coordinating tender processes and budgets
• Preparing business cases
• Producing and presenting progress reports
• Liaising with senior leadership 

Project manager skills 

• Strong communication 
• Leadership
• Negotiation
• Decision-making
• Organisation

Project manager salary 

According to Payscale at the time of publication, the average project manager salary in Australia is $101,700 per year. 

Industry bodies

• Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM)
• Project Management Institute (PMI) 

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