Why Learn Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Project is a must-have skill for aspiring Project Managers. It has been the most popular project management software program since the 1980s. Have you ever explored all of the things Microsoft Project can do?Training in Microsoft Project looks fantastic on a Project Manager Resume. It also familiarizes you with cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools, such as Microsoft Power BI. 

Here, you’ll learn more about the careers that benefit from Microsoft Project and how it can enhance your professional life. Learning Microsoft Project is a valuable and impressive skill to add to your resume regardless of your goals. 

What is Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Project is the project management software in the Microsoft Office suite of programs. Microsoft Project is the world's most widely-used project management software and has been since its release. MS Project currently has around a 66% project management software market share. Proficiency in Microsoft Project is a must-have skill for aspiring Project Managers. 

Project management is a booming field: the number of Project Manager jobs is expected to increase by over 33% over the next five years. The Project Management Institute (PMI) predicts that over 22 million new project management jobs will be created by 2027. Project management is growing rapidly because more companies recognize the need for professional help managing projects. However, there are already more Project Manager positions than employees trained in project management. 

Microsoft Project assists Project Managers in prioritizing tasks, defining expectations, delegating tasks, tracking and managing resources, creating and tracking budgets, and sharing calendars with your team. Project also includes project management methodology tools, such as kanban boards and Gantt charts. Some of Project’s major features include tools for project planning, communication and collaboration, progress tracking and reporting, roadmaps for project tracking, financial management and timesheets, and resource management. 

Project is fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing team members to share files, attend meetings, and chat easily. Its scheduling features are automatic, which can help teams stay on track with less direct supervision from the Project Manager. Project also incorporates the cutting-edge Microsoft Power BI dashboard, allowing project teams to visualize and analyze data in real-time. 

While Microsoft Project may seem easy to learn because of its familiar Microsoft Office interface, you will need to learn its advanced features to use it effectively. Senior Project Managers praise its power to manage multiple complex projects. Developing your ability to manage complex projects is the key to a successful career in project management. 

One of the biggest advantages of Microsoft Project is its full integration with other Microsoft Office programs. Microsoft Office is the most widely-used software suite in the world. If you’re serious about pursuing project management as a career, you’ll want to consider training in the entire suite of programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

Read more about what Microsoft Project is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Microsoft Project?

Project management is a hot career path: the Project Management Institute (PMI) predicts that over 22 million new Project Manager jobs will be created by 2027. Even without this 33% increase in job positions, there is already a significant talent gap in project management, with more companies seeking Project Managers than qualified candidates. 

Another perk of a career in project management is a high salary: the average salary for a Project Manager is around $116,000 annually. That is more than double the national average of approximately $50,000 across all occupations. Training in project management could lead to a lucrative career. 

Project Managers need to have many skills, including soft skills such as communication, leadership, and time management. Project Managers will also need to have advanced skills using Microsoft Project, the world’s most widely-used project management software tool, for decades. 

Microsoft Project is the industry-standard for managing complex and multiple projects. Its powerful project management features include interactive dashboards for project monitoring, integrated project timeline, task prioritization and delegation, team dashboard, report generation, resource tracking and management, and the Master Project Plan for managing multiple projects.

Common Professional Uses for Microsoft Project

The history of project management goes back to the “megaprojects” of the post-war era, including NASA’s Apollo moon missions, the development of nuclear weapons in the Manhattan Project, and the building of the U.S. Interstate Highway System. Project management originates in the defense and engineering industries, and Microsoft Project is still widely used in the engineering and defense industries. 

The Project Management Institute (PMI) predicts that over 22 million new Project Manager jobs will be created by 2027: a 33% increase over the next five years. The industries that are expected to add the most project management jobs include Manufacturing and Construction (9.7 million jobs), Information Services (5.5 million jobs), Finance and Insurance (4.6 million jobs), and Management and Professional Services (1.7 million new jobs). Anyone working in these fields would be wise to pursue project management and Microsoft Project training.

Training in Microsoft Project Helps You Get Hired

Training in Microsoft Project can help you get hired as a Project Manager. Potential employers will see your commitment to project management through your Microsoft Project training. If you’re a new or aspiring Project Manager, having additional training in Microsoft Project could be the extra step needed to get you started. 

To become a professional Project Manager, you’ll want to demonstrate that you’ve mastered Microsoft Project. Self-guided training won’t be enough for a Project Manager resume, so you’ll want to pursue training that includes a Certificate of Completion to demonstrate your skills. For example, NYIM offers an introductory course, Microsoft Project Level I, and a more advanced class, Microsoft Project Level II. Graduates of both courses receive a Certificate of Completion, which is sharable on Linkedin. 

Microsoft Project uses Microsoft Power BI.

Microsoft’s Power BI tool is an intelligence dashboard that automatically creates visualizations of data. One of Microsoft Project’s newest features is complete interaction with Power BI, allowing Project Managers to integrate the power of data with project monitoring. 

Using Power BI, Microsoft Project can generate various data-driven reports to assist you in project management. The Portfolio Dashboard shows you ongoing progress on all project tasks. The Portfolio Timeline provides a visual report of all projects on your timeline, including expected duration and current progress. In Portfolio Milestones, users can check for milestones to monitor ongoing progress. The Resource Dashboard shows users detailed resource data, including remaining tasks and task status. 

MS Project Can Make You A Better Project Manager

Mastering Microsoft Project can increase your project management ability as it helps you successfully juggle projects. Professional Project Managers praise Microsoft Project’s ability to manage multiple complex projects and its effectiveness in assisting them to manage multiple complex projects. Microsoft Project incorporates the Project LifeCycle, which could help to increase your project management skills, including project planning, task management, resource management, project and file sharing, portfolio management, and business intelligence. 

If you want to learn more about effective project management, Noble Desktop offers a Project Management Bootcamp, which offers comprehensive training in project management theories and concepts. 

How to Start Learning Microsoft Project

If you’re an aspiring Project Manager, you’ll need to learn Microsoft Project. Thanks to the internet, there are multiple options for how you can learn Microsoft Project, including live classes, on-demand classes, and free online resources.

Live classes can happen in person and live online. Because these classes are happening live, you’ll be able to ask questions and interact with your instructor and classmates in real-time. If you’re someone who likes the interaction of a traditional course, you’ll want to choose a live option. Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool will show you in-person and live online Microsoft Project classes. 

A second option for training in Microsoft Project is on-demand and self-paced courses. These courses are typically more structured than teaching yourself but lack a live course's interaction, camaraderie, and mentoring. Linkedin and Udemy offer on-demand Microsoft Project courses which cover the basics, but you won’t be able to ask questions. 

On-demand and self-paced courses are ideal for visual learners who are self-disciplined enough to complete the course independently. While on-demand courses offer greater flexibility, the lack of accountability can cause some students to finish more slowly or not at all. 

If you want to stick with free resources, Noble Desktop offers free online seminars on various topics, including Microsoft Office. In their free online Excel Tutorials, students are guided through developing more advanced skills in Excel, including data validation, creating and formatting charts, projects, PivotTables, array formulas, functions, and beginner macros. Or, you can browse the entire list of free tutorials Noble Desktop offers on their YouTube page. 

Read the full guide on how to learn Microsoft Project.

Learn Microsoft Project with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

If you’re an aspiring Project Manager, you’ll need to train in Microsoft Project. NYIM is a business, design, and coding school based in NYC. They offer tech courses and bootcamps both live online or at their state-of-the-art campus in Midtown Manhattan. 

All of NYIM’s courses have guaranteed small class sizes and are taught by instructors who are experts in their industry. NYIM uses a unique hands-on approach in which instructors give a “micro-lecture” and then immediately guide students through applying what they learned using real-world projects. Graduates can take advantage of NYIM’s “free retake” option, which allows them to retake the course for free for up to one year to refresh or further develop skills. 

Live online courses are a great option if you don’t live in the NYC area. Because the class is happening live, it works exactly like an in-person class: you’ll be able to ask questions, interact with your instructor and classmates in real-time, and even receive direct feedback on your work using screen-sharing software. 

NYIM offers many options for learning Microsoft Project and the other programs in the Microsoft Office suite. In their Microsoft Project Level I course, students learn essential project management concepts and the fundamentals of using Microsoft Project to manage projects. Some of the Project skills that graduates will develop include defining projects, creating and organizing tasks, analyzing task relationships, creating a work breakdown structure, creating a resource calendar, resource management, creating baselines, sharing project plans, and finalizing project plans. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion, which is sharable on Linkedin and your Project Manager Resume. 

NYIM’s Microsoft Project Level II covers more advanced techniques, including managing multiple projects. Instructors guide students through hands-on projects to develop skills using Microsoft Project to execute a project, monitor progress, control a project plan, create progress reports, and use advanced customized features. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion to share on their Project Manager resume or Linkedin. 

If you want to study project management or pursue project management education hours toward CAPM Certification, you should consider a course like Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp. A PMP-Certified instructor trains students in project management theories and methodologies to help them launch a new career as Project Managers. Topics covered include the Project Management LifeCycle, project scope, project planning, resource management, risk management, financial management, team management, and becoming a professional Project Manager. 

Key Insights

• Project management is a very marketable skill since more companies are looking for employees with project management training.
• Training in Microsoft Project could help you get hired as a Project Manager.
• Microsoft Project incorporates the powerful data visualization and analysis tool Microsoft Power BI.
• Training in Microsoft Project will increase your project management skills.