Military Community

Hampton Roads Military Community

Empowering Military Professionals to Lead with Confidence and Purpose

Transition. Certify. Lead.

Why a certification?

Stand out in a competitive job market with a globally respected PMI certification that validates your expertise and opens doors to high-paying, meaningful careers.

Showcase your knowledge and know-how. 

A certification from PMI makes it easy to show civilians that you have the experience and expertise to get the job done as a project manager.

Enhance Career Opportunities. 

Certified professionals have access to a greater number of job opportunities and higher-paying job opportunities than their counterparts without certification.

Stand out from everyone else. 

Virginia has 27 military bases and over 675,000 veterans. A certification from PMI distinguishes you from your competition by demonstrating your professional commitment to the profession.

PMI’s certifications

[https://www.pmi.org/certifications]

Path to certification

Getting certified is easier than you think—follow our six straightforward steps to turn your military experience into a powerful project management credential.

1.        Meet education/experience prerequisites.

2.        Obtain the required hours of certification education.

3.        Complete the application.

4.        Schedule the exam.

5.        Study the references.

6.        Pass the exam.

Military experience and project management

Think you’ve never managed a project? Think again.

Your military missions, training plans, and inspections already qualify as project experience—learn how to translate military experience and skills into project management terminology for a successful application.

If you’re saying to yourself, "I was in the military, I never worked on projects... I don’t have experience in project management!" then keep in mind that a project has two defining characteristics.

• It is a Temporary Endeavor
• It has a Unique Output (i.e., product, service, or result)

Have you ever supervised corrective maintenance?

Formulated pre-deployment preparations or organized multi-unit exercises?

Arranged leadership training for newly promoted personnel?

Strategized for a major inspection?

If you’ve done anything like these in uniform—you have project management experience!

Translating military language

PMIHR Military Community of Practice 

Join a close-knit group of fellow veterans, active duty personnel, and military spouses within PMI Hampton Roads who understand your background and speak your language. This community offers mentorship, camaraderie, and support as you grow your project management skills and transition into or advance within the civilian workforce.

Link to PMI

Jump straight to PMI’s official Military & Veterans page — get the details you need to choose your certification path and start your career journey with confidence.

https://www.pmi.org/military/

Salary Data

See how much certified project managers earn in your area and nationwide—real numbers from trusted sources to help you plan your next move.

Indeed [https://www.indeed.com/career/project-manager/salaries]

Bureau of Labor Statistics [https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/project-management-specialists.htm]

Zip Recuiter [https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Project-Manager-Salary-in-Norfolk,VA]

PayScale [https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Project_Manager%2C_(Unspecified_Type_%2F_General)/Salary]

Onward to Opportunity Program (O2O)

Get free, high-quality training and certification support through O2O—designed specifically for transitioning service members, veterans, and spouses, including a Hampton Roads location.

Program Overview [https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/career-training/]

Free Admission [https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/career-training/o2o-admission/]

In Hampton Roads [https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/career-training/o2o-locations/hampton-roads/]

Cover Letter Resources

How to [https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cover-letter]

Military to civilian 1 [https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/cover-letter-military]

Military to civilian  2 [https://www.resumebuilder.com/cover-letter-examples/military-to-civilian/]

VA Resources

Maximize your GI Bill benefits with VA-supported certification prep, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training programs tailored to your career goals.

Licensing and certification tests and prep courses [https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/licensing-and-certification-tests/]

VA education and training benefits [https://www.va.gov/education/]

On-the-job training and apprenticeships [https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/on-the-job-training-apprenticeships/]

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) [https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/]

Free LinkedIn Premium (one year) access for veterans & spouses

Boost your job search with one year of free LinkedIn Premium—connect with recruiters, access learning courses, and grow your professional network.

https://socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/veterans/premiumform

Veteran advocates on LinkedIn to check out

Follow and connect with veteran career advocates who’ve walked the path before you—get inspired, get advice, and get hired.

Michael Quinn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnmi/]

Sultan Camp [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sultancamp/]

Keith Cassant [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithcassant/]

Military Service Branch Credentialing Opportunities On-Line portals

Find certifications that align with your MOS or AFSC through your branch’s COOL portal—your military training may already qualify you for civilian credentials.

Army [https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/index.html]

Navy [https://www.cool.osd.mil/usn/]

Air Force [https://afvec.us.af.mil/afvec/af-cool/welcome]

Marines [https://www.cool.osd.mil/usmc/]

Coast Guard [https://www.cool.osd.mil/uscg/]

MyCAA for Military Spouses

Military spouses: You may qualify for up to $4,000 in financial assistance through the MyCAA (My Career Advancement Account) program. This benefit covers certifications and career training to help you build a portable, rewarding career.

Learn more and apply directly on the official MyCAA site:
https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/

Military outreach 

Click on the button below or scan the QR code to connect with the PMI Hampton Roads Military Liaison.

Submit Your Info

Authorized Training Providers

Choose from trusted PMI training partners—including local options in Hampton Roads—to get expert-led prep that fits your schedule and learning style.

International Institute for Learning (IIL) 

[https://www.iil.com/]. 

IIL is a training partner with PMI Hampton Roads. 

Blue Summit Consulting Group

[https://www.bluesummitcg.com/]. 

Blue Summit is a partner with PMI Hampton Roads.

Broader list of PMI Authorized Training Partners (ATPs). 

Go to https://www.pmi.org/learning/training-development/authorized-training-partners/find.  Use the check boxes and the up/down arrows next to each criteria selection on the left to filter for what you’re looking for.  Selection choices should follow the following format:

Location > North America > United States > VA > Norfolk.

Adjust the date slider just below the locations to identify course offerings that align with your calendar.

Specialty > PMP Exam Prep.

Language > English.

Tools to Match Military Skills to Civilian Roles

Use these powerful tools to match your military experience with civilian project management roles—see how your service translates into career success.

Veteran Job Matcher [https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Jobs/match-veteran-jobs.aspx]

O*NET Online [https://www.onetonline.org/]

O*NET list of occupations matching “project management” [https://www.onetonline.org/find/quick?s=project+management]

Frequently asked questions

Have questions? View our PMP + Military FAQs here:
Download: PMP Military FAQ (PDF)