Jackie’s Project Management Success Story

The Project Management Skills Bootcamp

I took voluntary redundancy in August 2025. Although I loved my job, I had only recently been promoted to Project Manager and, unfortunately, the business no longer had enough work to keep me on.

After registering for Jobseeker’s Allowance, I contacted the National Careers Service for support with my next steps. I knew I wanted to move into a Project Management or PMO role, but I also recognised that I needed to strengthen my knowledge and qualifications to improve my chances of finding a new job.

During my appointment, Jessica from the National Careers Service recommended Fareport Training’s Project Fundamentals Skills Bootcamp, which was due to start in January 2026. She kindly put me forward and, after the initial interviews and meeting the entry criteria, I was delighted to be offered a place on the course.

My main goal was to find a new job. I had been unemployed since August 2025 and, despite applying for numerous roles, I wasn’t receiving interviews or constructive feedback. It was becoming increasingly difficult to stay positive.

I hoped the course would give me the skills and confidence I needed to move into a Project Management or PMO role, while also giving me the opportunity to network and meet like-minded people.

Those first five months of unemployment were incredibly lonely and confusing. Like many people, I began questioning my own abilities and confidence. I wanted to invest my time wisely by learning something valuable that would improve both my knowledge and my employment prospects.

The biggest thing I learnt was how all the different aspects of Project Management fit together.

Throughout my career, we rarely had dedicated Project Managers, so I often stepped in to help coordinate projects without any formal training. When we eventually had a Project Manager, I often heard terms such as scope creep and technical debt without really understanding what they meant, so I found myself constantly searching online to understand the terminology.

I had completed an Agile Project Management course back in 2022, but I never had the opportunity to put those skills into practice. Later, after my company was acquired, I was promoted into a Project Manager role, but again I received very little formal training.

Only a few weeks before I left the business did we start learning about project documentation such as PIDs, RACI matrices, RAID logs and project playbooks. The Fareport Bootcamp brought all of these concepts together and finally made everything click. For the first time, I truly understood not just what these tools were, but why they are so important and how they work together to deliver successful projects.

The course has given me a much clearer understanding of how projects should be managed and delivered effectively.

Looking back, I honestly wish I’d had this knowledge earlier in my career, as it would have helped me on projects I previously worked on and may even have prevented some of the challenges we faced.

More importantly, it has given me confidence. When I now speak with Project Managers or read project documentation, I understand the terminology, the processes and the reasons behind them. I feel much more confident in my own abilities.

Passing the course was also a huge personal achievement. As someone who hadn’t studied for many years, I was nervous about returning to learning, but all the hard work paid off. I’m certainly not the youngest student, so successfully completing the qualification gave me an enormous sense of pride and proved to myself that it’s never too late to learn something new.

My experience with Fareport was excellent from start to finish.

My trainer Mary was friendly, patient, calm and incredibly supportive. The online sessions were well organised, easy to follow and all of the learning materials were provided in plenty of time, making it much easier to study between sessions.

The support from both Mary and Sam was outstanding. The one-to-one guidance was especially valuable. As an adult returning to education after many years, it’s easy to start doubting yourself. Having someone there to encourage you, answer questions and give reassurance made a huge difference to my confidence.

The mock exams helped prepare us well, although the real exam was naturally different. Fareport didn’t just prepare us academically; they also helped us prepare mentally so we didn’t panic on the day. That support was invaluable.

I’d simply say – go for it.

Yes, some courses are more challenging than others, and there may be an exam at the end, but in today’s job market we need to take every opportunity available to improve our skills and make ourselves stand out.

For me, the Bootcamp wasn’t just about gaining a qualification. It kept my mind active during unemployment, improved my confidence and showed future employers that I was committed to developing myself rather than standing still.

It was also wonderful meeting people in similar situations. We supported each other, shared experiences and realised we weren’t facing these challenges alone.

One of the things that really impressed me was that Fareport’s support didn’t end when the course finished. They offer a range of employability workshops covering topics such as CV writing, interview preparation, Project Management and other sessions relevant to the training you’ve completed. These workshops give you the opportunity to continue learning, ask questions and speak with Sam and other like-minded people who are all working towards similar career goals.

Fareport also regularly shared job opportunities linked to our training. While many of the vacancies were based in Hampshire rather than Surrey, so they weren’t always suitable for me personally, they were still a fantastic resource and I’m sure they helped many others secure employment.

I also appreciated that Fareport genuinely listened to feedback. I suggested displaying the location alongside each vacancy so people could immediately see whether it was suitable without having to open every advert. It was lovely to know my feedback was valued and acted upon.

The workshops themselves became something I genuinely enjoyed. On a few occasions, when everyone was a little quiet, I naturally started conversations and encouraged others to join in. Together, Sam and I created some really engaging discussions that benefited everyone taking part.

Without realising it at the time, those workshops helped rebuild my confidence too. Facilitating conversations, encouraging participation and supporting people were all things I’d done throughout my previous career. Being able to do that again reminded me that I still had those skills and that they were valued. It gave me another boost at a time when I really needed it.

Looking back, I’m honestly not sure where I’d be today if Jessica hadn’t recommended Fareport or if I hadn’t been given the opportunity to join the Bootcamp.

It has helped me professionally, personally and emotionally during one of the most challenging periods of my career.

I honestly can’t thank Fareport enough. You have made a real difference to my life, and I’ll always be incredibly grateful.

Have a question or want to learn more?

If our success story has inspired you and you’d like to explore how we can support your organisation or career goals, get in touch today.