How to Become a Project Officer: A Supportive Role For Team Players

You don’t need a formal qualification to work as a project officer, but employers may favour job applicants if they have experience or training in the industry. VET courses like a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice (BSB41515), a Diploma of Project Management (BSB51415) or a Graduate Certificate in Project Management provide the base skills and knowledge to begin a job as a project officer. 

Find out more about the role of a project officer, the skills you need to succeed in the job and how to be in the best position to gain an entry-level position.103

Project officer 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 officers 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.

Project officers work to support larger teams in executing projects or programs. They are often supervised by project managers or coordinators and are set a range of administrative and practical tasks. They assist in the smooth running of the processes and systems that enable a project to be completed efficiently.

Tasks and responsibilities for a project officer

Project officers can work across a broad range of industries, and this determines the types of project officer duties they do on a day to day basis, 

Project officer responsibilities include:

  • Supporting the senior team with administration duties
  • Scheduling meetings and taking minutes
  • Producing project reporting data
  • Formatting project documentation
  • Facilitating communication
  • Assisting with project planning

How to become a project officer

You can take steps to ensure that you have the skills and confidence to start a job as a project officer. Showing initiative in study or prior training makes you attractive to future employers.

  1. Study

    Completing a qualification in project management is a great way to understand how projects are run efficiently. Accredited VET courses like a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice (BSB40920) or a Diploma of Project Management (BSB50820) provide the base skills and knowledge to enter a starting role in project management administration or coordination. Online courses are available, can be taken on part-time or full-time and can often fit around work or other life responsibilities. 

  2. Further study

    After gaining some work experience as a project officer, you might choose to study further and advance your career in project management. A course like a Graduate Certificate in Project Management can help develop your skills and prepare you for more senior roles in your industry.

Pathway options

info
Job pathways are drawn from the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways site.

A career as a project officer can be great long term, and it can also open doors to more senior positions in project management or even opportunities for new career pathways. 

Possible career path:

Junior

Mid

Senior

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If a job as a project officer is exactly what you are looking for, you can access a vast catalogue of resources, blogs and how-to articles to help you in your new dream career. 

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