The Project Management Professional Certification Process

A successful entrepreneur, Edward Anderton co-founded Scarlata Chocolate, where he serves as managing director. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Edward Anderton’s professional experience encompasses work as a project manager at Microsoft.

Founded in 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) represents the interests of the project management profession and relies on a systematic process, including the following elements, to administer PMP certification:

- Application process. This phase encompasses not only the submission of an application that the candidate must complete within 90 days of commencement, but also a PMI “completeness review.”

- Audit process. This phase assumes the selection of the candidate’s application and requires that he or she submit diplomas and other specified supporting documentation for PMI staff review.

- Examination. Once a candidate’s eligibility has been established via the aforementioned phases and he or she has submitted credentialing fees, the candidate will have up to a year, and three attempts within that timeframe, to pass an exam consisting of 200 multiple-choice questions. Passage of this exam confers certification.

- Ongoing credentialing. During this phase, the PMP must complete 60 professional development units every three years to maintain certification.

Toastmasters Clubs Continue to Thrive

After spending four years as a consultant for Microsoft, Edward Anderton cofounded Scarlata Chocolate in Seattle, Washington, in 2012. He has managed the company’s steady growth each year through various events, ecommerce solutions, and investments in the company’s employees. Edward Anderton also has won several speech contests during his time in the Edmonds chapter of Toastmasters International.

Toastmasters clubs have been around since the first club met at a YMCA in Santa Ana, California, in 1924. These clubs started as places for young men to develop their public speaking abilities. In 1970, the first female member, Helen Blanchard, joined Toastmasters under the pseudonym of Homer Blanchard. Helen Blanchard later became the first female president of Toastmasters in 1985.

Nearly 16,000 Toastmasters clubs now exist in 142 countries. These clubs train promising individuals to succeed in various leadership positions that require excellent speeches. Coaches, mentors, and business leaders around the globe acquire leadership and communication skills in Toastmaster workshops and competitions. In 2016, Toastmasters members converged in Washington, DC, for the organization’s annual conference, and Darren Tay received top honors in the public speaking competition.