Why Velociteach is not an ATP

Velociteach was awarded Best of the Best Registered Education Provider (REP) by PMI in 2012, so why is Velociteach not a PMI Authorized Training Provider (ATP) now?

The short answer is PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) Handbook says, ATPs are only one of several types of education providers who can deliver the educational hours required to apply for the PMP Exam. Andy Crowe founded Velociteach with a goal of empowering others to learn project management in a simple, dynamic way that encouraged personal and professional growth. We believe we can do that best using our materials and teaching our way.

We know this may spark a number of follow-up questions which we’ve tried to answer below.

Have a question we didn’t answer? Contact us! We’d love to talk to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is Velociteach a part of PMI’s ATP Program?

  No. On Nov 11, 2019, PMI announced that the REP Program would be replaced by the ATP Program. In this letter, PMI revealed a major departure in how the Project Management Institute would partner with training companies. A quote from the letter: “Across the network, training partners will be required to use PMI-provided course materials to lead PMP Exam Preparation.”  Per PMI, the ATP program was designed to align all program participants to the same material version and the methodology that PMI preferred when teaching PMP students. PMI did not consult with REPs before this change to understand potential issues or to potentially integrate other lines of business into the program.

  Given our long partnership with PMI, we wanted to understand how this new relationship would work. Velociteach went through a slow, arduous journey of discovering the details of the ATP program (what was allowed and what was not) through the summer of 2020.  Eventually, PMI answered some of our specific questions, including those about the textbook Andy Crowe first wrote 2 decades ago that is the cornerstone of the Velociteach curriculum.  PMI stated that Velociteach would have to abandon the book – we could not join the ATP program and continue to publish the Amazon bestseller for PMP prep.  The same was true for our online, self-paced courses and other content/assets we’ve developed and updated through the years.

  We value our relationship with PMI, but this ATP change went against the very DNA of our company.  Therefore, we decided not to join the ATP program.

  By not joining the ATP program, Velociteach has the freedom to do what we do best. Velociteach continues to publish the bestselling PMP Exam prep book on the market, hold the most effective PMP boot camps, and deliver the number one online, self-paced PMP exam prep course. And, we continue to partner with universities and other training providers who use our content with their students.

  There were other factors involved as well.

  • Our InSite PDU line of business was not allowed under the ATP program.
  • Our mind-map teaching methodology, developed and enhanced over 20 years, was not allowed if we were to become an ATP and be forced to use the PMI material
  • Velociteach has a robust licensing line of business which was not allowed under this program. Joining the ATP program would have unfairly and negatively impacted dozens of long-term Velociteach strategic partnerships who use our material for their training needs.

   

• Do I have to get my PMP training from an ATP?

  No. You don’t have to take PMP training from an ATP. You are free to choose the source you believe is best! ATPs are only one of several types of education providers who can deliver the educational hours required to apply for the PMP exam.  The image below from PMI’s PMP Exam Content Outline (ECO) notes that the PMP applicant must have at least 35 contact hours of formal project management education. It does NOT mandate that those hours must be from any particular type of provider.  PMI does not (and cannot) mandate that the 35 hours of project management education come from an ATP. Making such a mandate would imply a conflict of interest and jeopardize their ANSI Standard.

  

  In addition, in the PMP Exam eligibility information outlined by PMI, the same point is noted.  One must obtain 35 hours of project management education/training, but it is not specified that it must be received from a particular type of provider.

   

  

• Wouldn’t the ATP course be better since PMI makes the PMP exam?

  No. That would imply a conflict of interest that PMI cannot allow. PMI takes steps to ensure all content providers have access to the same resources and information about the exam, including the Exam Content Outline (ECO). This Exam Content Outline serves as the blueprint for the PMP Exam and is readily available online to anyone.  In 2020, PMI outsourced the development of their ATP PMP Prep materials to an independent third party and confirmed that third party has no special access to exam content.  So, the PMI-provided course materials used by ATPs do not have any “inside information” as that would invalidate PMI’s ANSI standard.

  ATPs are mandated to purchase and use the PMP Prep materials from PMI. In fact, ATP instructors are required to teach that content in its entirety. These mandated materials place a serious constraint on training companies as it no longer allows them to differentiate their offerings. All ATPs must use the same curriculum including slides, workbooks, and limited student resources. When comparing ATPs, the customer may as well look for the lowest price, because the curriculum is the same.

  As a non-ATP, Velociteach has the freedom to provide our proprietary, robust materials that we have been honing since 2002. With access to the exam blueprint (the PMP ECO) and actual student feedback, Velociteach is able to make small adjustments to the materials to ensure student success. And, with this new PMP Exam, the Velociteach content and approach have proven to be extremely successful for PMP Exam test takers.

• Has the ATP Program benefitted PMI Chapters?

  On the contrary.  The ATP Program has not proven cost-effective for many chapters, causing them to dissolve. Many chapters used to partner with other training providers and/or chapter members to provide courses for their membership. The PMI Chapters are now prohibited from partnering with anyone except for an ATP.  This monopolistic requirement bothered many chapter leaders and also provided a financial hardship for others.

• What differentiates the Velociteach PMP exam prep course from the ATP course?

  MANY THINGS!

  • Velociteach has been preparing project managers for the PMP for over 20 years. The ATP content was recently developed.
  • The ATP content is the same, regardless of provider. In addition, this content was developed by a third-party vendor, and training providers are not allowed to update or supplement the content.
  • The Velociteach PMP Exam Preparation course provides a wide variety of materials and assets that speak to many different learning styles. Students in our instructor-led course receive Andy Crowe’s textbook, a workbook with our proprietary mind-maps, Quick Reference Guide, Flashcard app, audio Conversations, eLearning content in InSite (including lessons, a testing lab with simulated practice exams, and a media center with exercises and handouts).
  • Velociteach employs proprietary mind-maps and offers a blended learning model that dramatically increases student engagement and retention and drives mastery of content.
  • Our Guarantee! Many providers only offer the ability to re-sit in their class, and typically within a restrictive time frame.  Velociteach offers the option for a customized study plan upon an unsuccessful exam attempt, and we have a generous one-year time frame on our guarantee.
  • Our Instructors! Velociteach’s instructor onboarding process is a multi-step process over several weeks as compared to the 2-day train-the-trainer that ATP instructors attend.  All of our instructors must be evaluated and approved through this extensive process (minimum of 12 days) in order to become a Velociteach instructor.  And of course, all are PMP-certified, and they hold many additional credentials as well.
  • The large majority of our students are not only passing the exam on the first try, they are passing with “Above Target” in all areas. That speaks to the quality of our content and our instruction.

• Was Velociteach a part of PMI’s REP Program?

  YES.  PMI created the REP (Registered Education Provider) program in 1999, and Velociteach joined in 2003 shortly after the company started. Through the years, Velociteach team members have served in local PMI chapter leadership positions and on PMI Global Teams (Ethics Review, the REP Advisory Group, PMBOK Guide updates, and many more). Our contributors and partners include recipients of many PMI honors, including the distinguished PMI Fellows award.

  In fact, Velociteach won the 2012 Continuing Professional Education Provider of the Year Award from PMI.  We were delighted to have been chosen from over 1,600 providers for this exceptional honor.

  Velociteach was an REP until PMI ended the program.

• Have more questions?

  Please contact us – we’d love to hear from you!  Call (866) 691-4765 or Chat with us Monday – Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm Eastern. You can also email us at info@velociteach.com.