The Important Part is What PDUs you Need to Earn... And How to Earn Them
To maintain your PMP, you need to earn 35 PDUs by the end of each three years. These must be split, so you have at least:
- 8 Technical PDUs
- 8 Leadership PDUs
- 8 Strategic PDUs
- 11 additional PDUs in whatever categories you choose
Education PDUs
There are 6 ways to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) by educating yourself:
- Courses and training
- Global Project Management events
- Local Project Management meetings
- Online and Digital learning
- Reading
- Informal learning
More information on the PMI's website.
Contribution PDUs
And there are 5 ways to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) by contributing to the Project Management community:
- Working as a PM Practitioner - yes, doing your job can earn up to 8 of your PDUs
- Creating PM content
- Giving PM presentations
- Sharing your knowledge through mentoring and teaching
- Volunteering
More information on the PMI's website.
Full details of these are in the PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) Handbook.
PMI also has a handy guide to its New PDU Category Structure and Policies, which I suggest you download.
But you can learn more from our article, PMI Education Contact Hours and PDUs: Your Essential Guide. In this, we have lots of creative tips for sources of PDUs.
There are two articles that will better help you understand this:
- The PMI Talent Triangle: A Guide [for members and non-members]
- PMI Education Contact Hours and PDUs: Your Essential Guide
Our Little Black Book on Secret Ways to Earn PDUs
OnlinePM Courses
Programs from OnlinePMCourses.com will count to your PDUs
So too do our:
- Articles: https://onlinepmcourses.com/project-management-articles/
- Videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/onlinepmcourses
- And other resources: https://onlinepmcourses.com/project-management-tools/
If you need all your PDUs quickly - or you want a structure way to get all of them over. athree year lifecycle - or you want a year of PDUs ready to earn...
The PDU PodCast
Check out the PDU PodCast with its a three-year series of 36 monthly webinars. The PDU Podcast is an easy and low-cost way to earn your Professional Development Units (PDUs).
With a subscription to The PDU Podcast, you'll get a new webinar worth at least 1 PDU every month. Automatically. And you can download them to watch on your phone, tablet, or computer anytime and anywhere you want.
Check out the PDU PodCast here.
ProjectManagement.com
The PMI's Project Management membership forum is ProjectManagement.com. And here you can find a wide selection of PDU 'qualifying activities'.
Just Do Your Job
Yes, that's right. You can claim up to 8 of your 35 PDUs in the 'Giving Back to the Profession' category. You just need proof of your employment and your job description. Done.
Take a Course
Any course that is relevant to the technical, leadership or business area can earn you PDUs. It doesn't have to be core Project Management. So take a look at our Skills Courses.
Volunteering
Volunteering can be fun and educational. It can help you make contacts and develop you as a professional. And it can earn you up to PDUs.
PMI is just one of many organizations that relies on volunteers. Why not become one and earn credit towards re-certification in the process? PMI has a page on volunteering with the PMI.
The PMI Talent Triangle: Technical, Leadership, and Strategy
The PMI Talent Triangle is a simple tool that reminds us all about the value of a broad range of professional skills. It is all too easy to settle for excellent technical skills and think ‘that’s it. I have project management nailed.’
Not at all. All of the professional bodies and providers of general project management qualifications recognize that this is far from the truth. A fully capable project manager needs a wide range of personal and professional skills outside of the realms of their technical project management competence.
The most succinct – and possibly best known – articulation of that full range of capabilities is the PMI’s Project Management Talent Triangle.
The Talent Triangle and PDUs
The PMI Talent Triangle defines three areas for continuing education for holders of all PMI certifications. It is not a central feature of gaining the qualifications themselves.
In 2015, the PMI introduced its Talent Triangle. Since 1 December that year, PMP members who want to maintain their PMP or CAPM qualifications need to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) across its three dimensions. PMI gives each of the three aspects of the PMI Talent Triangle an equal weighting.
The three dimensions are:
- Technical Project Management
- Leadership
- Strategic and Business Management
PMI’s PDUs make up its Continuing Certification Requirements (CCRs), which other organizations refer to as Continuing Professional Development (CPD).