QA ChPP (Chartered Project Professional) Application Support Programme

The Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) is the pinnacle of the Association for Project Management (APM) suite of project management credentials. Attaining ChPP status demonstrates your technical knowledge, professional practice and ethical behaviour as measured against a defined benchmark. Candidates applying for submission of their application are guided through the process and supported along each step of the application. This support is provided by someone who has been through exactly the same process as you and is ChPP qualified. We only use ChPP qualified experts, providing you with an enhanced understanding of the requirements and the characteristics of an effective submission. Please note: application fees are separate to this support programme and are your own responsibility to pay (see Important Notification below). We will guide you through this payment process. Important: The QA ChPP Application Support Programme is delivered over a period of twelve weeks. Briefly, this comprises:

• A half-day group launch session
• A 30 minute one-to-one review
• A mock interview session of up to two hours, depending on the applicable application route.

Your QA expert undertakes a full review of your complete submission around eight weeks into the programme and supports you in the final two weeks leading to the submission date. You will attend a “mock” interview around two weeks after the submission date. You are committing to:

• Provide up to four project overviews demonstrating complexity against defined criteria
• Provide twelve competence statements demonstrating your competence
• Complete your CPD Log indicating at least 35 hours of professional development over the past year
• Spend around 42 hours collating, writing and presenting the above data for review and submission to APM

The QA ChPP Application Support Programme is aimed at those who meet the following criteria:

• You have a track record with demonstrable evidence of delivering projects, programmes, portfolios, or fulfilled a key enabling function to these
• You possess current and up-to-date knowledge of current good practice and methods
• You are actively involved in the project, programme or portfolio profession
• You do not need to be an APM member to submit an application.

Successfully attaining ChPP status provides numerous benefits to you personally as a candidate, as well as the organisation you represent. Some of these benefits include:

• Recognition of your capability and professional status
• Enhanced credibility amongst your peers and clients alike
• A framework for career development
• Competitive edge
• The use of the post-nominal ChPP
• Enhanced status in delivering complex projects, programmes or portfolios.

QA occupies an enviable position in providing this support programme supported by Consultants with proven track records in all aspects of project, programme and portfolio delivery, as well as having attained ChPP status in their own right.

There are no formal prerequisites apart from providing and auditable track record of delivering complex initiatives and demonstrating your competence in doing so. It is prudent to consider which projects or programmes you consider suitable as demonstrating your competence and ability. Depending on the application route for which you are eligible, you will need to provide evidence to APM of these qualifications, for example a Degree in Project Management from an APM approved tertiary institute or your APM PQ or APM PPQ accreditation. These will normally be on file with APM and should automatically be identified when you start your online application. Further guidance is provided during the Launch session. You also need to be mindful of the following:

• A CPD Log demonstrating a minimum of 35 hours continuous professional development over the past year
• Two referees who are prepared to vouch for your competence and capability.
• Special arrangements are available from APM and QA, promoting a positive attitude to those candidates with special learning and additional needs. Any unfair disadvantage due to a medical condition is removed through tailoring the approach.

Access to facilities and other arrangements are available to applicants with disabilities/learning difficulties and for those with a medical condition that prevents them from completing their application and assessment within normal regulations. You will need to have access to a laptop capable of engaging in Webex, Teams, Zoom or GoToMeeting sessions. The latter is used to conduct the formal interview by APM Assessors. Important Notification The QA ChPP Application Support Programmes fees only cover the involvement of and support from a QA Consultant delivering the programme as outlined in this text. You, as the candidate, are responsible for the following:

• You need to individually register with APM for your application – only you can do this as you need to provide APM with relevant personal information regarding your application
• You need to pay the APM ChPP Application fees direct to the APM in two stages – an initial fee for Stage 1 (Submission) and a second fee for Stage 2 (The formal interview). The Stage 2 fee is only required on successful completion of Stage 1 which starts from the Submission Date. Total fees vary between £300 and £1,332, depending on the appropriate route (1, 2 or 3).
• Further details can be found at: https://www.apm.org.uk/chartered-standard/

Your application process will follow one of three routes according to your qualifications, previous assessments and experience. Each route requires demonstration and evidence of technical knowledge and professional practice. These are assessed in different ways, depending on the applicable route. The three routes for application are:

• Route 1 – for those candidates who have a recognised assessment for technical knowledge such as the APM PPQ or APM PQ
• Route 2 – for those candidates who have a recognised assessment for both technical knowledge and professional practice – such the Praxis Framework
• Route 3 – for those candidates who do not have a recognised assessment but do meet the eligibility criteria

Your application to APM takes place in two stages:

• Stage 1 – you submit your project overviews, competence statements and CPD Log to APM for their initial review and assessment in meeting the eligibility, complexity and competence criteria
• Stage 2 – on successfully progressing through Stage 1, you are invited to a formal interview with APM Assessors to further explore your submission. Stage 2 differs, depending on the application routes described above as follows:
  • Route 1 Interview – this a 1-hour interview conducted by two APM Assessors exploring your submission and professional practice in greater detail, validating your submission and ethics
  • Route 2 interview – a 30-minute interview with one APM Assessor validating the currency of your mandatory competences, CPD Log and ethics
  • Route 3 interview – this is a 2-hour interview conducted by two APM Assessors, validating your submission regarding professional practice, assessing your technical knowledge and ethics

The QA ChPP support programme is based on the published submission date (SD) from APM and guides you through the application process in the following ways:

• A launch event is conducted at which the ChPP programme is explained. The requirements for a successful application are reviewed, including the project overviews, 12 competence statements, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log and ethical behaviours
• An initial review of one project overview and 2 competence statements is undertaken by a QA consultant, accompanied by a 30-minute review of comments and feedback on these
• You, as the candidate, amend your initial submission and complete additional overviews and remaining competence statements.
• Your full submission is reviewed in detail, with accompanying advice and guidance to strengthen your submission provided directly to you in electronic format.
• You amend your overviews and competence statements in the light of the feedback provided and submit your final submission to APM
• A “mock” interview is conducted, preparing you for the formal interview following successful submission.

The ChPP Support Programme can be depicted graphically as follows:

Related reading Candidates are provided with the following as part of the programme material, supporting you to write compelling project overviews and competence statements:

• Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) Application Guidance
• APM Code of Professional Conduct
• Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) standard – CPD Guidance
• APM CPD Log
• Template documents for completing the project overviews and the competence statements
• Additional guidance documentation on completing the above
• Consolidated slide set from the Launch event

While not mandatory, it is advised that you familiarise yourself with the APM Body of Knowledge (APM BoK, 6th or 7th Edition) and the APM Competence Framework, if possible. These are available from the bookshop on the APM website.