In our current series of PDU Tips we are exploring the many ways you can earn PDUs. Today we look at how you can gain PDUs through listening to project management podcasts.

If you haven’t come across it before, The Project Management Podcast is like an online radio show that you listen to on demand. It delivers interviews with project management experts from around the world as free podcast episodes that you listen to on your computer or mobile device. It’s a great way to get to listen to world-class experts talk about their specialist areas and whatever project management topics you are most interested in, there will be something relevant to you. The guests include authors, speakers, practitioners and academics, but they are all engaging and interesting.
You can access The Project Management Podcast from the website or through iTunes, so you can download episodes to your media player and listen to them while you are running or at the gym. Or, for those of you who are less energetic, from the sofa!

Free PDUs gained from listening to The Project Management Podcast fall into Category C, Self-Directed Learning. In this category, 1 PDU is awarded for every hour of activity logged. Because the programs are shorter than the 1 hour needed to claim a PMI PDU you will have to listen to several free episodes on the same topic to earn 1 PDU.
There are over 200 free episodes available, so you shouldn’t find it difficult to listen to enough to claim your PDUs. The easiest way is to subscribe to the podcast, so that you are automatically directed to the latest episodes.

You can only claim a maximum of 30 PDUs in this category per three-year recertification cycle. It’s important to keep your personal records up to date so that you can justify any of your PDUs if your recertification application is chosen for audit. The easiest way to do this with The Project Management Podcast is to keep a log of how many hours you have listened to and what Knowledge Area and Process Group is covered in that episode. Then when you come to report your PDUs on the PMI website you will have a complete record.

Sound good? Subscribe to The Project Management Podcast at http://www.project-management-podcast.com/pdu and start listening and earning PDUs today!
In next week’s tip we’ll be looking at how you can earn PDUs by creating new project management knowledge.