In order to keep your certification of PMP (Project Management Professional), you will need to complete 60 PDU’s (Professional Development Units) in the following three years after your certification from PMI organization. It seems hard in the beginning but if you start early and be diligent about it, then it becomes no big deal in earning your re-certification after the initial 3 years. Below is a list of ways that you can earn PDU’s in order to keep your PMP credentials as published by the PMI.Org.
1. PMI’s Knowledge Shelf: Posts your articles about project management and information to help professionals and organizations advance the practice of project management. A team of volunteers along with PMI staff review the articles before posting them. Your paper could be a part of this virtual collection and earn you 15 PDUs under Category 2B if you are its single author.
2. PMI® Publication Quizzes: Allow you to earn PDUs from the comfort and convenience of your personal computer. When you purchase a quiz bundle from PMI.org, you receive PMI-published articles and white papers with accompanying quizzes that test your learning. If you obtain a quiz score of 70 percent or higher you will earn between one and two PDUs per quiz in Category.PMP® and PgMP® credential holders can earn a maximum of 20 PDUs per certification cycle and PMI-SP® and PMI-RMP® credential holders can earn a maximum of 10 PDUs per certification cycle using Publication Quizzes.
3. Volunteer Service: Earn PDUs for providing your professional services to an organization outside of your employer. You could serve as an elected officer or volunteer committee member for a project management organization. Or you could provide a project/program management-related service to a community or charitable group. PMI also has multiple volunteer opportunities.
4. Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) Courses: There are more than 900 PMI R.E.P.s worldwide who offer courses that are pre-approved for PDUs. Find an R.E.P. near you.
5. PMI® Global Congresses: Congresses offer opportunities to network with colleagues and attend seminars that go toward receiving PDUs. Find information on all of PMI’s congresses on PMI.org.
6. PMI Community Offerings: PMI’s chapters, specific interest group (SIGs) and colleges hold events, meeting and educational sessions that are pre-approved for PDUs. PMI members are welcome to join these communities and take advantage of their offerings. Search for chapters in your region, or view the full list of PMI SIGs and colleges.
7. SeminarsWorld®:Held throughout the year, SeminarsWorld events provide educational activities for beginning, mid-level and experienced project professionals—PMI members and nonmembers alike. Seminar topics tend to cover one of five areas: core competencies, specific application areas, people and leadership skills, tools and techniques, and strategic applications. View a complete listing of SeminarsWorld, events.
8. eSeminarsWorldSM: While face-to-face training has its obvious merits, online courses are some of the most convenient ways to earn PDUs. Each eSeminarsWorld web-based course includes discussion questions, individual and group assignments with classmates from all over the world, and timely feedback from qualified instructors. Find the right courses to suit your schedule.
9. Web-based Self-Study: All you need to complete the Project Movie: A Practicial Application of the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition course is an Internet connection and about 15 hours. Focused on the current edition of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), this course is a perfect way to receive 15 PDUs on your own time. Once registered, you will have 24-hour online access to this 12-module course for one full year. More information click here.
10. Professional Activities: Authoring an article about project management or speaking at a project management event can quickly earn you 10 to 30 PDUs. PMI has specified a number of professional activities—things you may already be doing—that can translate to varying amounts of PDUs. Find out more information and PDU calculations in the CCR section of your respective credential handbook.
11. Self-Directed Learning: Obtain PDUs by sharing project management knowledge with your colleagues. PMI will recognize activities that involve personally conducted research or study. This includes discussions or coaching sessions with colleagues or clients that put to use informational materials such as CD-ROMs, articles, books, videos or instructional manuals. Review the information under self-directed learning activities under the CCR section of your respective credential handbook.
12. Educational Programs by Outside Providers: PMI recognizes relevant educational activities or programs offered by organizations not registered with PMI. Use the following formula to calculate the number of PDUs earned: One hour of learning relevant to project management within a structured activity or course equals one PDU.
Now earning all these PDU’s can be costly and out of reach for a considerable people. So I am listing some of the sites that gives free PDU’s for Project Management and they are also recognized by the PMI organization. You can also google this and find out more but I would recommend the followings for their ease of use.
1. http://pdu4free.com/index.php?list=latest
2. http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/kits/dw-r-ppmkit/index.html
3. http://www.itmpi.org/webinars/
4. http://www.pmbase.com/leadership-courses.html
5. http://www.pointadvantage.com/prod12/product_info.html?product_info.html