As a PMQ trainer, I was very curious to see what the new exam is like to take. APM have provided excellent guidance on what to expect, but there is nothing quite like experiencing the real thing. I wanted to see first-hand so I can provide the best possible guidance and advice for our course delegates and students.
Going into this, I had a litany of questions in my mind.
- Is there enough time to finish the exam comfortably?
- Does every exam question link back to the APM Learner Study Pack or is there additional material required for studying, such as the APM Bok7?
- How would the 30-minute optional break work in practice?
- And lastly, how hard is the exam?
Is there enough time?
There is enough time. The overall pace of this exam is far more reasonable than the previous version. The Surpass exam interface allowed me to view the clock clearly every moment I was taking the test.
A good way to see how this works is to visit the online mock exam on the Surpass website – Online examinations: what to expect and then choose Sample Paper: Management New.
Seeing the clock allowed me to manage my time effectively and I quickly settled into a good cadence. I had time to thoroughly read, and re-read each question. Additionally, I knew exactly how much time left I had to proofread once I came to the end of each section. I was able to review all my answers at the end of the section – something I was not able to do on the previous version)
PMQ exam questions – do they link back to the APM Learner Study Pack?
APM has created a Learner Study Pack for the new exam – a tailored workbook structured seamlessly aligned to the PMQ exam syllabus and learning objectives. Following an internal review of the study pack, Provek has chosen to replace our own delegate handbook with APM’s study pack.
Included in the study pack are learning review sections, enabling delegates to test their knowledge with a series of quick quiz questions and exam practice questions and answers.
Every one of the questions on my exam came from the APM Learner Study Pack. This was a great relief as a trainer, and a test-taker. Students can concentrate their revision on one source.
How does the 30-minute break work in practice?
Flawlessly would be the one-word answer.
Surpass designed and implemented this feature effectively. The 30-minute optional break works intuitively on the system. (The Sample Paper: Management New link shows this so you can get an early view.) In a practical sense, the break was a most welcome addition to the new exam. It gave me a moment to clear my head, make a cup of tea, and mentally prepare for the second half.
How hard is the exam?
Overall, it is challenging but fair. I think it is calibrated correctly for a practitioner level test. One word of caution: The questions are more difficult than the sample questions in the Study Pack and the Sample Paper: Management New online mock.
APM have communicated that a pass mark for the online mock would be 66 points out of 90. My exam was calibrated at 58 points, reflecting the greater difficulty of my paper.
My advice would be..
- Read the scenarios carefully. They provide valuable hints on how to answer. For example, if you may be asked to assess the Power and Interest of a stakeholder. Look for clues, such as the stakeholder is providing funding. (High Power / High Interest)
- Memorise the steps in the APM processes (such as Benefits Management, Change Control, etc.) They do come up in the multiple-choice questions.
- Get a script together in your head about why key elements are important. For example – the PMP, Business Case, Transition Management, Communication Management Plan.
Final thoughts
The new exam is far more fair and physically less demanding than the previous version, so mission accomplished by APM. They have addressed the major shortcomings of the previous exam effectively.
The test is very passible, but you need to respect it. If you put in the study, getting the reward is realistic and achievable.
Good luck with your studies.
Provek’s PMQ training options
If you are interested in achieving the PMQ qualification, Provek offer a range of flexible training options that will support your training requirements and budget.
- DfE-funded PMQ skills bootcamps – our public skills bootcamps offer 70-90% Government-funded training (8 days of training delivered over 4-6 weeks). We also offer inhouse bootcamps based on minimum cohort sizes.
- PMQ public courses – 5 consecutive day and modular (3+3 days over 2 weeks) public courses are scheduled monthly
- Inhouse PMQ courses – for organisations who wish to deliver inhouse courses, we offer courses that can be delivered virtually or face-to-face
- Online study – our online course is for those wishing to achieve this through self study. Tutor-led videos take delegates through the complete syllabus with 24/7 access over 12 months.
If you would like to discuss our PMQ training options, get in touch. We will be happy to offer guidance on the right option for your requirements. Call us on 01635 524 610 or email enquiries@provek.co.uk.
