How to Become a Project Coordinator: A Fulfilling Career Offering Career Growth

Formal qualifications are not required to start a job as a project coordinator, but previous work experience or study in project management is recommended. A VET course such as a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice (BSB40920), a Diploma of Project Management (BSB50820) or a Graduate Certificate in Project Management provides the core skills and knowledge needed. It shows prospective employers you are prepared for the job.

Find out more about the skills needed to succeed as a project coordinator and how you can get yourself a position in this rewarding and exciting industry.

Project coordinator job description

info Where we source our data

Let’s get real. Job information online can often be overly optimistic — conveniently glossing over the raw bits. But when you’re making decisions about your future, you need all the facts.

That’s why we anonymously surveyed project coordinators about their job, with hopes of getting an honest insight into what it’s really like.

While we did our best to ensure respondents were Australians and verified their job titles with proof of employment, we can’t guarantee complete accuracy — or that your experiences in the field will reflect theirs. So, we suggest that you take these insights as a guide only and try to talk to people in the field before making an important decision.

A project coordinator is responsible for the smooth running of projects in different industries from an administrative standpoint. They work closely with other team members and stakeholders and use clear communication and organisational skills to achieve efficient processes.

Tasks and responsibilities for a project coordinator

A project coordinator’s role is diverse and depends on your industry. The various administration and coordination tasks may change daily. 

So, what does a project coordinator do? Their responsibilities include:

  • Providing support and information to team members and stakeholders
  • Being the point of contact for different work areas
  • Project planning
  • Maintaining project documentation
  • Administrative tasks
  • Creating, reviewing and presenting project reports
  • Escalating serious issues to senior management

How to become a project coordinator

Although a formal qualification is not required to begin a role in project coordination, prior training through project management courses prepares you for the position. It also puts you ahead of the rest when applying for entry-level job opportunities.

  1. Study

    Completing a project management certification gives you an understanding of the whole project process. Courses like a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice (BSB41515) and a Diploma of Project Management (BSB51415) are excellent options to prepare you for project coordination roles.

  2. Further study

    After gaining some work experience as a project coordinator, you might want to take further study to upskill. Courses like a Graduate Certificate in Project Management could lead to senior coordinator roles and project management positions. 

Pathway options

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Job pathways are drawn from the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways site.

A job as a project coordinator can be gratifying and is often a long term role. But it can also offer opportunities and open doors to more senior positions, project management careers or open doors to entirely new roles. 

Possible career paths:

Mid

Senior