Frequently Asked Questions
| Q | What is PMI? |
| A | The Project Management Institute, or PMI, is a global professional organization for project managers. Currently, it supports over 86,000 members in 125 countries worldwide. PMI members are individuals practicing and studying project management in many different industry areas, including aerospace, automotive, business management, construction, engineering, financial services, information technology, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. Over time, PMI has become, and continues to be, the leading professional association in project management. |
| Q | What is WCC? |
| A | WCC is the Wine Country Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI). The WCC serves PMI members in the Sonoma and Marin County area of California, just north of San Francisco. |
| Q | How long has the Wine Country Chapter been in existence? |
| A | The WCC was chartered as a chapter of PMI in March 2000. |
| Q | Who should I contact with questions? |
| A | See the Board of Directors page, then contact an appropriate officer via e-mail. Or come to one of our monthly dinner meetings and talk to us there! |
| Q | Are there any seminars? |
| A | Yes. The WCC presents to the project management community at large both seminars on project management and Project Management Professional (PMP) test preparation courses. |
| Q | What is PMP and what is the value of the PMP certification? |
| A |
Enrolling in PMI's Project Management Professional Certification Program offers individuals a wide range of important benefits. The PMP designation following your name demonstrates to current and potential employers that you possess a solid foundation of experience and education in project management that can have a positive impact on bottom-line results. The PMP designation symbolizes knowledge and accomplishment and is highly regarded by colleagues and employers. As a certified PMP, you will proudly join a successful group of professionals who are enriching and advancing their careers and the project management profession. To achieve PMP certification, each candidate must satisfy all educational and experiential requirements established by PMI and must demonstrate an acceptable and valid level of understanding and knowledge about project management that is tested by the Project Management Professional Certification Examination. In addition, those who have been granted the PMP credential (certificants) must demonstrate ongoing professional commitment to the field of project management by satisfying Professional Development Program requirements. For further information see: PMI Certifications |
| Q | What are the demographics of the WCC membership? |
| A | The Chapter has over 150 members. Most of our members live and/or work in Sonoma and Marin counties. |
| Q | Are there regularly scheduled WCC meetings? |
| A | The WCC holds dinner meetings on a monthly basis - see the calendar for details. The dinner meetings allow time for networking among project management professionals and a speaker is brought in to talk on a topic of interest. |
| Q | What does it cost to join the WCC? |
| A | In order to join the Wine Country Chapter you must be a member of PMI. The cost for joining PMI is $125 and the cost to then join WCC is $25. |
| Q | What is a SIG? |
| A | A SIG is a Special Interest Group. SIGs provide a forum for project managers to share experiences with others managing similar types of projects and facing the same project management challenges and concerns. SIGs participate in a wide range of activities which include, but are not limited to, quarterly newsletters, networking directory, seminars, technical tracks at PMI Seminars & Symposium, teleconferences, interactive web sites, publications, and much more! See: PMI's SIG Overview |
| Q | Are there networking opportunities? |
| A | Yes, during the monthly dinner meetings. |
| Q | Will the PMP Certification Prep class meet the requirement for 35 hours of formal couse work? |
| A | No, the PMP class satisfies 24 of the 35 hour requirement for the PMP application. The remaining hours must be education from your own background and can include nearly any accredited course. |
| Q | What is the PMP Certification Prep Class schedule? |
| A | Classes are scheduled based on demand. Should you wish to be added to the wait list, please e-mail the V.P. of Professional Development. |
| Q | I'm interested in speaking at a Dinner meeting, or I want to recommend a speaker. Who should I contact? |
| A | Get in touch with the V.P. of Programs by e-mail at programs@pmi-wcc.org |
| Q | What sorts of topics are appropriate? |
| A | Any topic with a basis in project management will be considered. Our member's interests are as diverse as the industries they represent: healthcare, telecommunications, construction, electronics, insurance, agriculture, local government, and more. Previous speakers have addressed topics such as scope and risk management, e-commerce, workplace conflict resolution, and project management in the public works arena. |
| Q | Do speakers at Dinner meetings receive any compensation? |
| A | Our policies limit speaker compensation to a complimentary dinner, a small gift, and the heartfelt thanks of the Chapter members! |