Written by Glenn Boylan, PMP

During September and October meetings, I’ve been presenting information about the upcoming CCR changes at various PMI Atlanta events, including the Technology Forum, Alpharetta Lunch Meeting, and PMIConnects! meetings. If you currently have a PMI certification you should be aware of these changes, as they will impact what you have to do to maintain them. 

The Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program outlines the requirements for obtaining professional development units (PDUs) that are required to maintain PMI certifications. 

Based on feedback from employers, PMI is changing the CCR requirements to better align with the skills employers need today, and to guide and support PM professional development to better meet those needs. 

The changes apply to PMP, PgMP, PfMP, PMI–PBA certifications (which require 60 PDUs every three years), as well as the PMI–ACP, PMI–RMP, PMI–SP certifications (30 PDUs every three years). In the discussion below, I’ll be referring to PDU quantities for the 60 PDU certifications, but keep in mind that the same type of changes will apply to the 30 PDU certifications as well. The actual numbers will just be different.

You will still earn PDUs in two main categories: Education and Giving Back. Here is how the CCR guidelines are going to change.

 

Education

Currently:

There is no limit to the number of PDUs you can earn, although you must earn a minimum of 15 PDUs via Education. And there are no restrictions to the types of classes/events you can attend (other than being relevant to Project Management.)

New Guidelines: 

There is still no limit to the number of PDUs you can earn, but now you must earn a minimum of 35 PDUs via Education. With the new guidelines, however, you must earn a minimum of 8 PDUs in each of the following three areas: Technical Project Management, Leadership, and Strategic Business Management. Once you obtain 8 PDUs in each of these, any additional PDUs you earn can be in whichever area you choose. 

Giving Back

You can earn PDUs for Giving Back by developing new knowledge for Project Management, volunteering (either within PMI or for other organizations) and by working as a Project Management professional. 

Currently:

Currently you are limited to a total of 45 PDUs in the Giving Back group per three-year cycle, and are limited to a total of 15 PDUs that can be earned by working as a professional. 

New Guidelines:

The new CCR guidelines will limit you to a total of 25 PDUs per three-year cycle in Giving Back, and 8 PDUs per cycle for working as a professional. 

Implementation Schedule

How the new CCR guidelines will impact you depends on when your certification is scheduled to expire. 

If your certification expires prior to December 1, 2015:
None of the new CCR guidelines will be in effect. You will continue to process PDUs according to the existing guidelines.

If your certification expires December 1, 2015 – November 30, 2017:
You will have to classify your PDUs according to the new CCR format, identifying how your education credits fall into the three areas of Technical Project Management, Leadership, and Strategic Business Management. HOWEVER, you will not have to meet the minimum number of PDUs in each Education area and your Giving Back PDUs will not be limited by the new maximums.

If your certification expires on or after December 1, 2017:
You will have to meet all the requirements of the new CCR program, including at least 8 PDUs in each Education area and the reduced number of PDUs in Giving Back.

For more information on the new CCR changes, please see the CCR Page on the PMI web site (PMI.org). If you have specific questions, you can email them here.