Achieving APMG Change Management Practitioner Certification

What is this course about?

This course prepares you for the APMG Change Management Foundation Exam, given on Day 4, and Practitioner Exam, given on Day 5. You learn how to build practical skill sets for delivering effective change within your workplace, including approaches to achieve buy-in and handle continuous change.

This course provides examples of individual, team and organizational behaviors that exhibit the appropriate leadership styles to facilitate successful change. Participants learn how to implement change by connecting individual and team dynamics to an organization's readiness for change.

Are there any pre-course study requirements?

Yes. A minimum of 15 hours of pre-course reading is required. The pre-course reading materials include Making Sense of Change Management, the APMG Change Management Practitioner Handbook and the Learning Tree Pre-course Study Guide, and are sent to you approximately three weeks prior the course. Furthermore, during the course, two hours of home study are required each evening.

What background do I need?

This course is applicable to both those effecting and those affected by change in the workplace. Previous Change Management experience is recommended but not required.

Who will benefit from this course?

This course is valuable for individuals wishing to achieve the APMG Change Management Certification. Anyone who must interact effectively with others to facilitate or direct change will find this course useful.

Those who have others reporting to them or individuals who expect to take on management responsibilities in the future will benefit from this course. Participants from all types of organizations - technical and non-technical, private and public, military and civilian, small and large - will find this course helpful.

Why is managing change important?

Never before have organizations been subject to such rapid change and so many market pressures. Along with positive business results, change often brings serious side effects, such as change fatigue, which result in decreased morale and productivity. With an effective process to manage change in place, organizations can combat these negative side effects and become energized to realize their visions.

In order to participate in organizational growth and personal development, individuals need a solid and empowering framework to manage change. Regardless of the organizational structure, success hinges on the effective use of managing change approaches at all organizational levels.

Can you really learn how to effectively manage change?

Yes. This course provides opportunities for you to practice strengthening and improving your skills to manage change. Through the creation and application of innovative techniques, and by using a practical approach, you develop a personal toolkit to deliver effective change. These practical tools and techniques are currently applied at leading and successful organizations worldwide. You leave the course with a greater understanding of what makes people willing to buy in to the proven benefits of effective change, and the confidence to apply the skills and techniques learned.

What are the benefits of achieving the APMG Change Management Foundation Certification?

The APM Group (APMG) is the international exam and accreditation authority responsible for offering a suite of qualifications including ITIL^®, PRINCE2^® and MSP^TM. The APMG Change Management Certification recognizes knowledge and experience in dealing with the theories of how change impacts, and is affected by, individuals, teams, organizations and leaders of change initiatives.

Successful completion of the APMG Change Management Certification demonstrates an individual's solid understanding of managing and leading change.

Which Change Management exam should I take?

Ideally, you should take both exams. Two levels of certification are offered - Foundation and Practitioner. You cannot attain Practitioner level without first passing the Foundation exam. Both certifications are valuable, with the Practitioner Certification demonstrating a higher level of ability to apply Change Management within organizational situations.

When are the exams offered? How many questions must I answer correctly in order to pass?

The Foundation Exam is taken on Day 4, starting at 11am. This is a one-hour, multiple-choice exam with no reference material allowed. There are 60 questions, and 30 of these questions must be answered correctly in order to pass. Since passing this exam is required to take the Practitioner Exam, the Foundation Exam is graded during the course.

Once you have passed the Foundation Exam, you are eligible to take the Practitioner Exam on Day 5, starting at 9:30am. This three-hour exam contains 80 objective test questions. To pass the Practitioner test, 40 of the 80 exam questions must be answered correctly.

What happens if I fail the Foundation or Practitioner Exam?

If you fail the Foundation Exam, you have the opportunity to retake it during this course. If you do not pass, you may not take the Practitioner Exam.

If you pass the Foundation Exam but fail the Practitioner Exam, you will receive an APM Group Foundation Certificate from Learning Tree. You will have the opportunity to re-sit the Practitioner Exam during a future course event. You do not have to retake this course. Additional cost is involved in retaking the Practitioner Exam.

How long does it take to receive results?

The APMG aims to deliver results to Learning Tree within two to four weeks of receiving exams. However, with the growing popularity of Change Management, it occasionally takes longer. Learning Tree will mail your Practitioner Exam results to you upon receiving them from APMG.

Will I receive my Practitioner Exam score?

If you pass the exam, you will not receive your score. If you fail the exam, your score is provided to you together with feedback on your exam.

I currently hold the Foundation Certification and want to be Practitioner certified. Should I take this course?

If you already have the Foundation Certification, then about 45 percent of the material presented in this course will be review for you. If it has been three months or more since you took the Foundation Exam, then this course will provide an excellent refresher as you learn the new materials and prepare for the Practitioner Exam. If you present your Foundation Certificate, you are not required to retake the Foundation Exam on Day 4.

Will I practice Change Management techniques in the classroom?

Yes. Time is devoted to practical workshops that reinforce real-world application. Working both individually and in teams, you participate in a series of interactive exercises and workshops. You also spend time practicing Change Management Exam techniques in the classroom using sample exam questions.

How is this course different from Course 3801: Achieving Change Analyst Certification within ITIL^® Service Management

Course 3801: Achieving Change Analyst Certification within ITIL^® Service Management, provides the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill the role of Change Analyst within ITIL Service Management. The Change Analyst Certification is a role-based qualification, focusing on the more technical and process aspects, function and responsibilities of the Change Analyst within the ITIL Service Management framework. This qualification covers the ITIL technical and process detail of change management, including continual process improvement and quality.

Course 288, by contrast, provides participants with the skills to deliver effective change within their organizations, and prepares participants for the APMG Change Management Foundation and Practitioner certification exams. These certifications focus on individual, team, organizational and leadership areas for the implementation of effective change management. This course offers a broad range of practical models, theories and applications, to more effectively implement organizational and strategic change.

How much time is spent on each topic?

How much time is devoted to the workshops?

Approximately 45 percent of this course is spent performing exercises and sample exam questions. Activities include:

• Practicing exam questions
• Designing a practical framework for positive engagement with organizational change
• Identifying leadership and motivational factors for successful change
• Creating your best practice model
• Highlighting the importance of combining individual, team, organizational and leadership aspects
• Developing an integrated strategy designed to reduce resistance to change

What is the relationship between Learning Tree and the APM Group (APMG)?

Both Learning Tree and this course have been accredited by the APMG. As an Accredited Training Organization (ATO), Learning Tree and its trainers have been approved to deliver this course and proctor/invigilate the Change Management Foundation and Practitioner Exams. APMG is responsible for providing the exams, scoring them and notifying Learning Tree of the results.

Is this course applicable toward a Project Management Institute (PMI) certification?

Yes. Though this course is not designed as preparation for an exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward, or maintaining, a PMI certification. Most PMI certifications require a specific number of PDUs in order to obtain and maintain the credential. Completion of this course provides 29 professional development units (PDUs).

Learning Tree offers several courses that help you prepare for PMI certifications, including Course 276: Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® Exam, which prepares you for PMI's most popular certification. For more details on these courses and PMI certifications, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A.

How can I continue my professional development after I receive Change Management Certification?

For further related training, you may be interested in these courses:

• 177: PRINCE2®: Achieving Practitioner Certification 
• 992: ITIL® Intermediate Qualification: Service Transition 
• 3801: Achieving Change Analyst Certification within ITIL® Service Management 
• 3411: Emotional Intelligence: Achieving Leadership Success 

For more information on these Learning Tree courses, please request the individual course Q&As.

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

Learning Tree offers many other courses that focus on communication, management and planning. This course complements the following:

• 296: Project Management: Skills for Success presents the skills needed for planning, organizing, implementing and delivering successful projects using paper and PC-based techniques.
• 340: Project Management for Software Development provides insight into the software development process, including what to expect at each stage of development and how to tailor models to your environment.
• 211: Introduction to Business Analysis: Defining Successful Projects is valuable to those who need to apply the knowledge and skills of the business analyst role within their organization.

For more information on these Learning Tree courses, please request the individual course Q&As.

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