TPgM Career Growth

Typical backgrounds

Technical program managers often share common backgrounds, including:

• Engineering

• Project management

• Product management

Sometimes technical program managers enter the field without these backgrounds, but the common skills are that of a planner, risk manager, or someone who just knows how to get things done!

Most of these roles are not available for entry-level applicants. Strong experience with project management is a necessary foundation since program management manages many related projects. However, there have been some entry-level or internship opportunities seen occasionally.

In order to aim your career toward this type of role, begin taking ownership of the responsibilities in your current job. Consider these activities you can do in your current role:

• Connect a diverse set of stakeholders to a unified goal

• Create roadmaps or plans

• Identity risks to an initiative and then work to mitigate them

• Understand how system design is applied in your current company

• Be a leader in your team or company

Career ladder

Once you become a technical program manager, the career ladder of an individual contributor can be rich and rewarding.