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What industries do project managers work in?

Written by Cambridge Study Online | Nov 15, 2022 10:09:00 AM

Having effective project management in place can be crucial to an organisation’s success – it can mean the difference between keeping customers happy with innovative products and services delivered quickly and economically, and failing to meet customers’ needs and falling short of business goals. 

Organisations around the world are therefore embracing skilled project managers as core assets within their workforce. By recruiting project managers to help them deliver projects, organisations can significantly boost their ability to come up with innovative solutions to problems and to deliver products and services to customers faster and more economically. 

Because projects can span a wide variety of industries and organisations, project managers are fortunate enough to be consistently in demand in the global job market, and to be able to work in a vast range of industries. 

What is a project manager? 

Essentially, a project manager is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of a project and its day-to-day management. They’re also responsible for ensuring the project hits its set goals, timelines, and budget.  

Projects can be anything from small-scale projects through to large-scale projects. Small-scale projects a project manager might work on can include organising a company event or managing an internal process, while large-scale projects they might work on can include big-budget infrastructure projects or new product launches. 

Interested in project management as a career? There are 5 key reasons you should consider an MSc in the subject:

Having a skilled and knowledgeable project manager on their team can save organisations two of its most prized assets – time and money. This is because project managers can help organisations to deliver products and services to customers faster and more economically than they would without such a dedicated resource. 

Because the role of a project manager can be so varied and range from managing budgets and teams through to negotiating with suppliers and clients, project managers tend to be multi-skilled in a range of areas, as well as multi-taskers. 

Some of the tasks a project manager can perform include: 

  • Planning a project – identifying its goals, budgets, timelines, and resourcing needs 

  • Identifying and mitigating any risks to a project 

  • Managing project teams 

  • Maintaining the quality standard of work 

  • Ensuring work is delivered on-time and within budget

  • Responding and adapting quickly to any challenges or last-minute changes 

  • Ensuring a project achieves its goals and objectives – within the set budget and timeline

Learn more about the responsibilities of a project manager:



Why project managers are important to business success 

Globally, organisations today are facing increasing challenges against more complex environments. So, the demand for project managers who can help organisations to successfully rise to these challenges and deliver on their goals has seen a sharp and rapid increase.  

Crucially, skilled project managers can play a pivotal role in the efficient and smooth running of an organisation and its operations – and therefore in its overall success. They can help organisations to develop innovative solutions for addressing business challenges and greatly boost their ability to meet their customers’ needs faster and within set budgets. 

Without successful project managers on their teams to help them deliver their projects, organisations can be at risk of failing their customers and falling short of their financial targets and business goals. 

Examples of industries project managers work in 

Because projects are essentially only limited by the imagination, they can come in all shapes and sizes. That means a vast range of organisations across international borders and industries can devise a project to work on at any given time. 

For skilled project managers, this means the career opportunities open to them are equally vast – spanning a whole host of industries and countries. 

Just some examples of industries project managers can work in include: 

  • Engineering and construction 

  • Financial services 

  • Insurance 

  • Information technology 

  • Healthcare

  • Sports and entertainment 


How can an MSc Project Management help you develop the skills you need to become a project manager? 

Whether you’re interested in starting a career as a project manager, or already working as one and looking to further enhance your skills, an MSc Project Management can empower you with the advanced skills and knowledge you need. 

Project management is a complex discipline, covering a range of principles, methodologies, skills, and techniques. These all need to be mastered both in theory and in their practical day-to-day application for a project manager to be successful. 

An MSc in Project Management can ensure you’re equipped with all the essential knowledge and skills you need to be a successful project manager, and boost your employability in the global job market – now and into the future.  

With an MSc in Project Management, you’ll learn: 

  • The essential principles, methodologies, techniques, and skills related to project management 

  • How to successfully manage projects in even the most challenging global environments 

  • How to effectively lead, motivate and coach teams 

  • Budgeting, finance, and accounting skills

  • How to apply sustainable development practices to your work  

  • A range of commonly-used project management methodologies, including agile and PRINCE2® 

Equipped with these learnings, you’ll be empowered to boost your capabilities and confidence as a highly-proficient project manager, ensuring your career as a project manager is both successful and future-proof. 

If you’re interested in starting an exciting new career as a project manager, or in taking the next step in your career as a project manager, discover how Cambridge Education Group's MSc Project Management (validated by London South Bank University) can position you as an in-demand project manager in today’s global job market.