PMI South Africa is joining the global fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Project Management Institute (PMI) which was established by project managers to advance the project management profession and establish world-class standards and certifications.

PMI South Africa is the locally incorporated chapter of the PMI, the world’s leading and largest not-for-profit membership association for project management, based in the US.

PMI South Africa is the oldest continually operating PMI Chapter outside North America, chartered in 1981, and it currently has 1 030 members.

“The PMI South Africa Chapter is the local face and doorway to PMI and the vast project management community,” PMI South Africa Chapter president and CEO Dr Lynn Keeys highlights. She expresses that the chapter is excited about this anniversary and is joining PMI and its 280 chapters worldwide in a Global Celebration of Service. PMI has pledged to reach 50 000 hours towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2019.

Keeys indicates that the South Africa Chapter has contributed to this global PMI goal which has already exceeded the target.

She puts forward that the fiftieth celebration of PMI demonstrates the globally recognised need and continued relevance of developing professional project managers to meet the challenges of South Africa and the world.

“This is so important in South Africa with its goals and objectives for transformation that must be met through not only government but also investment from all sectors of society. Projects are a means of creating a new environment and future – projects can realise innovations that can portend wellbeing for the society with inclusivity.”

Projects bring about change, which needs to be managed with knowledge, skill, creativity and agility to realise the benefits and value that are expected from investment and development plans for the country, she adds.

Keeys mentions that PMI South Africa Chapter’s aim, through its membership services and outreach, is to assist its members in making local individual, organisational and societal impacts.

The use of projects and project management is a strategic choice by organisations and touches every segment of life, every sector, every industry and every household, she explains.

Keeys mentions that successful projects are instrumental in creating value and benefits, relevant to all sectors, industries and services. Successful projects can help bring about positive business, organisation and societal change, innovation and transformation. “These projects can enable effective responses to our constantly changing environment. But this requires professional project management.”

Further, she points out that the world is operating in a constantly disrupted environment. These changes mean a different evolving role for the project manager. Project practitioners need more than technical project management skills; they need to understand the business and development environment and how to lead with vision and motivation. These three dimensions are what PMI calls the talent triangle. This makes it imperative that project practitioners undertake continuing professional development through education, training, engagement and networking in these three dimensions.

Practitioners need to be strategic advisors, big thinkers, innovators, communicators and versatile managers. The new, evolving role for project managers is based on a study conducted by PMI with industry, government and NGO leaders worldwide, entitled ‘The Project Manager of the Future’.

“The PMI South Africa Chapter wants to work with its members and outreach with private, government and NGOs to help ensure that the country is developing the capacity and leadership that will produce positive outcomes and benefits. This is needed at the individual and organisational level, for both private sector and government. It means having well trained and experienced project managers and providing opportunities in the workplace for this to happen.”