PRINCE2 Certification and Qualification, how do I get this?

To become a registered PRINCE2 practitioner, you will need to sit two exams- a Foundation exam and a Practitioner exam. Accredited training organisations, such as us here at Knowledge Tree deliver PRINCE2 training courses from qualified trainers with the exams included.

With our experienced PRINCE2 qualified trainers you could obtain your PRINCE2 certification within a week or two. The foundation and practitioner examinations are broken down as follows:

The PRINCE2 Foundation exam:

• Multiple-choice questions
• 60 questions per exam
• 33 marks out of 60 marks to pass: 55%
• 1-hour duration
• Closed book exam.

The PRINCE2 Practitioner exam:

• Objective testing
• 68 questions per exam
• 38 marks or more out of 68 to pass: 55%
• Two-and-a-half-hour exam duration
• Open book. Candidates are permitted only to use the official printed hard copy of the Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2® 2017 Edition. The official manual can be annotated and tabulated but no sticky notes and loose papers containing additional notes are permitted.

PRINCE2 certification, Foundation v Practitioner, what is the difference?

The foundation level PRINCE2 qualification teaches you the basics of PRINCE2 and gives you details on the body of knowledge. This qualification is aimed at current and aspiring project managers or professionals who manage projects. It is also relevant to other key staff including: Project Board members (e.g. Senior Responsible Owners), Team Managers (e.g. Product Delivery Managers), Project Assurance (e.g. Business Change Analysts), Project Support (e.g. Project and Programme Office personnel) and operational line managers or staff.

The practitioner level PRINCE2 qualification teaches you how to apply the knowledge learnt at foundation using project scenarios. This level of PRINCE2 certification is aimed at aspiring project managers and anyone who already manages projects.

We would recommend that when considering the PRINCE2 qualification that you look at the combined foundation and practitioner course as this can be more cost effective for you. It is also good to get both level of PRINCE2 certification completed whilst the information is fresh in your mind.

How long will it take for me to obtain a PRINCE2 qualification?

One point you should never lose sight of is that this training is designed to get you ready to sit and pass the exam and achieve the PRINCE2 qualification. This means that you don’t want to go on a course that is too short, as this could mean rushing through some aspects of it and possibly even missing out some other parts altogether.

Ideally, this course will give you everything that you need without taking up more of your time (and money) than is strictly necessary. If you are advised to carry out a lot of pre-course studying, then this may be an early indication that the course just isn’t long enough.

For example, if you are going to take on the PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner exam then you can expect a course that runs for about 4 days. This is enough time for you to learn everything that you need to know without rushing.

At Knowledge Tree we run the PRINCE2 certification training over 4 days, 09:30 to 16:00 (UK time) and then you are free to choose a time that suits you to sit the exams online after the 4-day training is complete. 

If you are going for just one of these qualifications at a time then 2 days of Foundation training or a 2-day PRINCE2 Practitioner course, will be enough to get you ready for either exam.

The Experience and Expertise of the Trainers

Another issue that greatly affects the price of a PRINCE2 qualification is the experience and skill of the trainer. It goes without saying that an inexperienced trainer is cheaper to hire, which typically results in a lower cost but less impressive course.

On the other hand, a top quality PRINCE2 trainer with a lot of relevant experience will make sure that you have the very best chance of passing your exam first time, while helping you to learn good project manager habits. You will feel more comfortable right from the very start of the course and subsequently obtaining that all important PRINCE2 certification if you have a highly experienced and professional trainer.

If you find a PRINCE2 course that seems a lot cheaper than the rest, there is a good chance that this is due to the fact that they use less experienced trainers. While these trainers might turn out to be excellent at their job, it is something of a risk for you to put your full trust in them at this stage. Why put that PRINCE2 qualification at risk?

The alternative approach is to look for a training firm that prides itself on the quality and experience of its trainers. While this may cost a little bit more, the quality of the training sessions will be far higher.

The Training Materials

There is a lot of information to take in during your PRINCE2 training. This means that you need some high-quality training materials that you can depend upon to achieve your ultimate goal of obtaining the PRINCE2 certification.

A company that sells you a cheap and unimpressive PRINCE2 course might rely on poorly copied pages or slide after slide on PowerPoint. The difference is notable when you go on a better-quality course and receive all of the excellent training materials that you need.

These materials are essential in helping you to pass the exam, receive a PRINCE2 qualification and the cost of this should, of course, be included in the overall price of the training sessions. They will also help you to learn important project manager skills for the future as well.

Exam Fees

Another point to look at when working out how much does a PRINCE2 certification cost is the exam fees. Some training companies may try to offer lower prices by not including these fees in their overall cost, which means that you would need to pay for the exam separately.

A far better approach is to go on a course that has the exam fees built into it. In this way, you know right away exactly how much you need to pay in order to get trained and then sit the exam right away.

Taking a PRINCE2 course virtually from your own home

You now also have the option to take a Live Virtual PRINCE2 course from the comfort of your own home. They will be taken by our highly qualified PRINCE2 trainers over video conferencing software. This allows you to have an interactive learning experience and achieve your PRINCE2 qualification without having to leave home and gives you the opportunity to take your exams in your own time which can work perfectly around your busy working and family life.

Virtual PRINCE2 qualification course recordings

The great advantage of the virtual PRINCE2 certification online training course is that you have the added benefit of daily recordings. We record the daily Cisco Webex training sessions and send you a link to the recordings when they have been uploaded. This can help to refresh your memory and understanding of the PRINCE2 method before sitting your online exams. 

How Much Does a PRINCE2 Qualification Cost vs. the Long-Term Benefits?

The very first point that you need to consider is around the cost of the training versus the potential long-term benefits. For instance, a top quality PRINCE2 Foundation or Practitioner course could cost you in the region of £600 (at the time of writing) but with the PRINCE2 certification under your belt you will have better career prospects.

The salary that a PRINCE2 qualification can bring to a project manager depends upon the location and the company that they work with. However, once you gain your PRINCE2 certification you could be looking at jobs that offer a salary of around £50,000 or more.

In addition, if you take the combined Foundation and Practitioner course then this could cost you in the region of £800 to £1000 but this PRINCE2 qualification will give you a powerful CV that opens more doors for you.

You should look to quickly recoup the cost of your training when you get a new job with a good salary. After this, you will carry on feeling the financial benefits for the rest of your career.