Change Management Foundation to Practitioner Certificate Course

One of the challenges facing organisations today is how to modify the business through regular change initiatives, with minimum disruption and maximum gain. Research suggests that 70% of projects fail to secure their anticipated benefits because organisations install new systems, processes or practices, but fail to implement the change fully – people are not sufficiently equipped for or committed to, the new ways of working to sustain them. This demonstrates an obvious need for professionals to supplement traditional project and business management skills with skills in change leadership.

Foundation Course Objectives

The Foundation course includes the review, consolidation of concepts and exam questions to prepare participants for the Foundation level certification. Other key objectives are to:

• Understand how individuals are impacted by change and be able to develop strategies to help people through change
• Develop insights into how organisations work, organisational culture and the models and processes of change
• Understand the drivers of change, the change governance structures typically used in organisations and how to define a change vision
• Appreciate how to prepare people for change and support their learning and motivation to change
• Learn about the stakeholder engagement process and how to develop suitable communications strategies and plans
• Appreciate the impact of change on organisations, how to build momentum for change and sustain it
• Understand the importance of defined change roles, and how to build and support an effective change team

Practitioner Course Objectives

The Practitioner course prepares participants to undertake and pass the Change Management Practitioner Examination.  The Practitioner level qualification aims to measure whether the candidate has sufficient knowledge and understanding of the Change Management guidance to apply and tailor it to a given scenario situation.

The course also includes review, consolidation of concepts and exam questions for the Practitioner level certification.

Please note that the Practitioner course is an examination preparation course and focuses on the application of Change Management to prepare candidates for the Practitioner examination.

Course Summary

The Foundation course provides a working knowledge of the key principles of Change Management and addresses:

• The change management context
• Change and the individual
• Change and the organisation
• Stakeholder strategy
• Communication and engagement
• Change impact
• Change readiness
• The change team
• Effective teams and team development
• Preparing for resistance

The Practitioner course looks at applying all areas of the Foundation course and includes:

• Project Management – change initiatives, projects and programmes
• Sustaining change
• Change levers
• Reinforcing systems
• Review of Practitioner examination format
• Practice Practitioner examination question

Foundation Certification

The purpose of the Foundation certification is to confirm that a participant has sufficient knowledge and understanding of change management to work as an informed member of a team working on an organisational change initiative.

The Foundation course includes the Change Management Foundation Examination which consists of:

• Multiple choice format (closed book)
• 50 multiple choice questions
• 50% pass mark (25/50)
• 40 minutes duration

Practitioner Certification

The Practitioner course includes the Change Management Practitioner Examination. Please note: a Foundation examination pass is a prerequisite to sitting the Practitioner examination. The examination consists of:

• Complex multiple choice based on a project scenario
• 4 questions per paper and 80 question items (total marks)
• 40/80 marks required to pass (50%)
• 2.5-hour duration
• Open-book (The Effective Change Manager’s Handbook only)

The Change Management qualification is valid for 5 years. Practitioners should re-register within 3-5 years of their original certification in order to demonstrate their commitment to professional development.

APMG International administers the Change Management examination scheme.

Foundation and Practitioner Exams

The Change Management Examinations are undertaken during the course as follows:

• Foundation Examination: is undertaken on the afternoon of day 3 of the Foundation course
• Practitioner Examination: is undertaken taken on the afternoon of day 2 of the Practitioner course