Should I Do a Project Management Apprenticeship?
Wondering if a project management apprenticeship is right for you? Explore how it compares to gaining industry certifications like the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification or the AgilePM® Foundation, and find the route that fits your career goals.
"Should I take the apprenticeship route into project management?" As a career advisor in this sector, it's a question I hear often from people at the beginning of their career journey.
By this stage, you’ve usually done enough research to know you want to work in project management. Choosing how to take action and get qualified can feel like the harder part.
The main decision is almost always between two routes: doing a project management apprenticeship or gaining industry certifications. While apprenticeships offer hands-on learn-while-you-earn experience (in most cases), industry certifications give you flexibility in how and when you learn as well as a faster route into a permanent paid role.
In this guide, I’ll be breaking down what a project management apprenticeship actually involves, how it compares to earning recognised industry qualifications, and the kind of outcomes each route leads to. By the end, you should have a clearer sense of which options fit your goals, your timeline, your current situation, and the way you prefer to learn.
If you want to take things back a step, take a look at our guide on what project management is.
Copy-edited by*
With over 3 years working at Learning People supporting students in their career search, Flo is here to offer one-to-one personal guidance, which proactively supports you as you venture towards your new or expanded career.
What's on this page?
Jump to:
- What a Project Management Apprenticeship Actually Involves
- The Pros and Cons of a Project Management Apprenticeship
- The Alternative: Gaining Industry-Recognised Project Management Qualifications
- Apprenticeship vs Qualifications: Which Route Suits You?
- Final Thoughts: Choosing Your Path Forward
- Project Management Apprenticeship FAQs
What a Project Management Apprenticeship Actually Involves
An apprenticeship is a paid job where you split your time between learning and working. You’re employed by a company, you follow a set training plan, and you study towards recognised project management learning outcomes while gaining experience on the job.
The structure is fairly set:
- you’ll spend most of your week working with a project team
- a portion of your time will be dedicated to assessed study with an approved training provider.
Because you’re sponsored by an employer, you learn their processes, tools, and ways of working from day one. It’s a longer commitment (usually more than a year), and you need to be ready for a steady pace rather than quick progression.
The work itself can vary. You should expect a mix of:
- admin tasks
- shadowing other project professionals
- taking meeting notes
- coordinating small pieces of work
- updating documents
- supporting more senior project staff.
Employers expect reliability, curiosity, and consistency. You’re learning, but you’re also part of the team, so the commitment is real.
Fact: Projected growth of Project Management roles in Australia: ~21% increase by 2027
Project Management roles in Australia are expected to increase from about 474,495 in 2017 to approximately 574,399 by 2027 – a 21% growth over 10 years.
For someone considering project management training, through an apprenticeship or gaining certifications, this upward trend makes their prospects highly promising.
The Pros and Cons of a Project Management Apprenticeship
Project management apprenticeships will be a great fit for some people, but they’re not the fastest or most flexible option for getting into a paid role.
The main advantages:
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Real workplace experience from day one. You’re involved in live projects, not simulations.
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Earning while learning. Your training is funded, and you receive a salary throughout.
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A structured path. Your study and work tasks are mapped out clearly, which some people find reassuring.
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Built-in support from your employer. You’re surrounded by experienced project professionals who can guide you.
But there are some limitations to keep in mind:
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Progress can feel slow. It takes time to move from junior tasks to owning responsibilities.
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The learning structure is fixed. You follow the employer’s schedule, not your own.
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Entry is competitive. You need to secure a role before you can start.
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You’re tied to one organisation’s ways of working. That can shape your early development more than you expect.
In short, apprenticeships work well for people who want a stable, long-term pathway. For others (especially adults switching careers), the lack of flexibility can hold them back.
The Alternative: Gaining Industry-Recognised Project Management Qualifications
When I talk about “industry qualifications,” I’m referring to the certifications employers look for when hiring Project Managers, Coordinators, and Analysts.
Instead of being tied to one employer, you study with an accredited training provider and build the skills that apply across sectors. If you haven’t already explored the typical pathway, our guide on how to become a Project Manager is a good starting point.
Gaining Project Management certifications is often a faster way into paid employment
If you're looking to gain industry-recognised project management certifications instead of doing an apprenticeship, your learning will be more flexible.
You'll be able to choose when and how you study, and you can progress at your own pace. Most people I support on their career journey like this because it means they can keep working their current job, manage family commitments, and retrain quickly without waiting for apprenticeship vacancies.
It also tends to be a faster route into full-time employment; you can complete your training and start applying for roles sooner.
The question on your mind at this point is probably, "which qualifications would I start with, what do they entail, and how long do they take?".
The following certifications would be good starting points. You can find out more about them, including how long they are and what you'll learn, by going to the dedicated pages below:
Project Management Apprenticeship vs Certifications: Which is Better?
The truth is, it depends on your situation. The best route for you isn’t necessarily the best route for someone else, and that’s where people often get stuck. You need to consider what's best for your current lifestyle and situation.
- If you’re just leaving school or college, an apprenticeship can work well. You have the time to commit to a longer programme, you may not feel rushed to move into a full salary yet, and the structured environment can give you a steady introduction to work. It’s predictable, and for some people that’s exactly what they want.
- If you’re an adult or a career-changer, it’s usually a different story. Most of the learners I support want to move into a paid project role quickly, gain confidence fast, and keep control of their schedule. Industry qualifications tend to offer that. You study flexibly, complete your training sooner, and open yourself up to a wider range of roles across sectors.
There is strong job market demand for certified project managers in Australia and New Zealand – especially people who can show they’ve intentionally up-skilled.
In terms of salary, the qualifications routes often get you into fully-paid roles earlier, while apprenticeships take longer to reach that point. That’s why career changers may benefit more from project management certifications; the pace, flexibility, and broader job access align better with their goals.
Final Thoughts: Choosing Your Path Forward Into a Project Role
Both apprenticeships and qualifications can open the door into project management, and either route can work depending on what stage you’re at. The difference is in the pace and flexibility.
If you’re looking for a quicker move into a paid role, or you need training that fits around your life, project management certifications usually make the smoother path. Whatever you choose, the goal is the same: building a career that’s stable, meaningful, and right for you.
If you decide that industry qualifications are the better fit, you won’t be doing it alone. At Learning People, we’ve spent more than 15 years helping people retrain and build successful careers in project management. We've seen learners come in with no experience at all and leave with the skills, confidence, and direction they’ve been missing for years.
We offer a range of Project Management courses, including pathways that introduce modern tools and emerging trends such as AI for Project Management. What makes the biggest difference, though, is the support. You’re not learning in isolation. You have an award-winning StudentCare™ team to help with study and exam preparation. You also get access to our Career Services team that offers guidance on how to position your new skills when applying for roles.
If you’d like some guidance on the right path for you, get in touch and book a free call with one of our career experts.
Project Management Apprenticeship FAQs
*This article was copy-edited and adapted for our Australian and New Zealand readership by Florencia Pacheco, a Senior Career Services Consultant in our Brisbane office. The original was written by Chelsey Murray, a Careers Services Consultant working at our UK headquarters.
