Project Manager Nkanyiso Mbatha shares his journey to Professional Registration
I am currently registered as a Professional Construction Project Manager (PrCPM) but I must admit in the early stages of my career my views on Professional Registration were not positive because a lot of my superiors at the time were not registered. It looked like it was a tedious and slow process. However, as I gained more experience and as the SACPCMP also improved their standards, I then realized that it is extremely important and I then re-started my registration journey, but this time prioritizing it as a personal goal.
I now fully appreciate the value of being part of a professional body where everyone is being held to the same high standard and I think the SACPCMP should find more ways of enforcing registration in the Construction Project Management field.
My registration has not made an impact in my personal career because registration is still not really valued in the private sector of the construction industry. It is more a requirement for government roles and a prerequisite for government projects. However, I hope that as time goes on, those who have the certification will be at an advantage in both the public and private sector.
I believe the biggest obstacles to registration with the SACPCMP was the manual registration process which was done via printed copies. It made the process a lot more complicated. The process has since been taken online and this was a game changer that made the entire registration journey more streamlined.
My journey was not easy but I would embark on it again if I had to because it is the one standard benchmark that can prove that I am a competent Construction Project Manager. I believe it will also work in my favor in the future when the SACPCMP starts enforcing registration as a requirement in the private sector as well.
ALSO READ: My journey to Professional Registration - Sibongiseni Cebekhulu
I would offer the following tips to anyone who intends embarking on this journey:
- Register as a candidate as soon as you graduate and start working. Do not leave it late before you start the process. It will be more complicated for you in the long run should you choose to do so.
- Find a good mentor and support structure that will assist you in focusing on the areas that will contribute positively towards your registration.
- If registered as a candidate, submit your logbook timeously.
Nkanyiso Mbatha is currently working for Rabie Property Group PTY Ltd as a Project Manager in Cape Town, South Africa. He is involved in some of their residential developments in Burgundy Estate. Prior to rejoining Rabie he worked for Abland Property Developers in Cape Town on some of their commercial and industrial projects. He also has a lot of PM Consulting experience with Mace and Integrated Solutions. He has been exposed to numerous construction projects in the hospitality, retail & student accommodation sectors, locally and internationally across Africa.
Have you recently embarked on Professional Registration journey as a Hardhat Professional (Construction/Built Environment Professional)? we invite you to share your journey to professional registration by submitting your details here
Comments
Post a Comment