P3O® – Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices Foundation and Practitioner Course

The P3O Foundation and Practitioner qualification offers a comprehensive approach to building and managing project, programme, and portfolio offices (P3O), equipping professionals with the tools to support decision-making and deliver organisational change.

By achieving a P3O certification, delegates gain essential skills to develop and manage a P3O model that aligns with your organisation’s strategic goals. This qualification covers the fundamentals and best practices needed to create a sustainable project office structure, making it ideal for those looking to advance in project management roles or enhance their organisation’s approach to governance.

Completing a P3O course for both Foundation and Practitioner levels provides in-depth knowledge and practical skills, from understanding core principles to applying advanced techniques in real-world scenarios. The P3O Foundation level introduces key concepts, including the role and purpose of a P3O model, while the P3O Practitioner level dives deeper into tailoring P3O models to fit specific business needs. By earning these qualifications, you’ll be well-prepared to contribute effectively to successful project, programme, and portfolio management in your organisation.

P3O is intended to provide a framework for the establishment and development of appropriate business support structures.

The course covers:

Introduction to P3O
Why have a P3O?
Designing a P3O?
How to implement or re-energize a P3O
How to operate a P3O

At the end of the course, you will understand:

How portfolio, programmes and projects relate
Why it is important to provide appropriate support at all these levels
The value of a P3O to the organization
How to identify a ‘best-in-class P3O model
How to identify different models for support provision, and the factors that influence their design
To recognise the roles within a P3O
To apply the main P3O principles
How to identify the tools and techniques that support consistent delivery of functions and services
Develop the business case required to obtain senior management approval for the P3O
Identify and build the most appropriate P3O model, which will adapt to the organization’s needs, taking account of the organization’s size and portfolio, programme, and project management maturity
Identify the most appropriate roles required to populate a specified P3O structure
Plan the implementation of a P3O
Choose and use appropriate tools and techniques while running the P3O and advising those who shape the portfolio of programmes and projects

The P3O® course is intended for members of offices within a P3O model or anyone who needs to understand the terminology and concepts underpinning P3O and those wishing to pursue higher level certifications.

Multiple choice examination questions
75 questions – 70 live questions and five trials
60 minutes’ duration
35 marks required to pass (out of 70 available) – 50%
Closed book

Objective testing
Four questions of 20 marks each – 80 marks in total
150 minutes’ duration
40 marks required to pass (out of 80 available) – 50%
Open book exam. Candidates may use the official printed hard copy of the Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices: P3O guide.

As experts in delivering project management training through a range of study styles, your success is key to our success. We understand how people learn, we know how to train people to pass exams, we employ the best trainers and specialise in small class sizes to help you get the best from your investment. So, if you’re looking to enhance your project management skills and ensure you pass first time, Training ByteSize is a name you can trust.

As a family run business, project and programme management training is in our blood, and so is innovation. Our founders have been part of the industry since the 1990’s, specifically founding Key Skills and developing the world’s first accredited e-learning course for PRINCE2®.

Today we are proud to continue with world firsts; with second generation Victoria at the helm, she had led Training ByteSize to ensure were the first company to develop and deliver e-learning options for accredited courses including Business Analysis Foundation, ITIL4, and AgilePM. When we say we’re experts in project management training, we really do mean it.

5 George House, Princes Court,
Beam Heath Way, Nantwich,
Cheshire CW5 6GD

Training teams is what we do really well, so if you have more than one person to train it may be more cost effective for you to consider our corporate solutions. Courses are offered online, on-site or virtually; there are so many options so it’s best for you to email us at learning@trainingbytesize.com with your requirements and we will send you a tailored quote.

Online learning is a great way to study and our e-learning courses are interactive and engaging.

Studying for your qualification online is a viable option for so many project managers:

Learning is completely flexible to suits your busy schedule
The interactive online course consists of voice-over and animation to keep you engaged throughout the learning
You can access it anywhere in the world and take your exam online at a time that suits you best
The Foundation e-learning will take around 10 hours to complete and includes a quiz bank which contains a range of questions to test your knowledge and understanding of the course prior to sitting the official exam
Our pass rates are well in excess of the national average (nearly 100%!), there is really no reason you should fail!

Virtual classroom learning with Training ByteSize

Our Virtual Course platform delivers accredited and certified training, led by leading subject matter experts, direct to your home, mobile, computer or office without the hassle of travelling or staying away. It is so easy to fit in an online class into your busy schedule; simply log in from home, the office, or even while you are travelling.

Students can ask questions using a headset, webcam or a chat window, and get their questions answered, just like in a traditional classroom. Questions can be lined up and answered at intervals, without interrupting the teacher’s flow of thought. There is no difference in the level of interaction – in fact distractions are significantly reduced because of this way of teaching. Our trainers have a minimum of 10 years training experience, plus have previously run and managed live projects, so have real-life experience they bring to the virtual session.

Download our virtual classroom course brochure to find out more.

If you would like to find out more about this option please complete this short form and we’ll come right back to you.

P3O® – Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices Foundation and Practitioner Course

Select your learning method: