--- ---  # ISIS Fighters Dig In As U.S. Takes First Casualty in Mosul Offensive > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Project Management Institute. Project Management Institute is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Project Management Institute: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Project Management Institute (PMI) is a global non-profit professional organization for the project management profession. Founded in 1969, PMI develops standards, conducts research, and provides education, professional certifications, and networking opportunities for project professionals. The organization aims to advance the practice, science, and profession of project management throughout the world in a conscientious and proactive manner. ### Organization facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Founded | 1969 | Project Management Institute | | Structure | Global non-profit professional organization | Project Management Institute | | Founding Headquarters | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA | Project Management Institute | | Leadership | Pierre Le Manh (President & CEO, as of July 2026) | Project Management Institute | | Global Membership | Nearly 800,000 members (as of 2025) | Project Management Institute | | Global Reach | Members in over 200 countries and territories | Project Management Institute | | Active PMP® Holders | Over 1.8 million (as of December 2025) | Project Management Institute | | Annual Revenue | Approximately $390 million (FY 2024) | Project Management Institute | | Key Products | PMP® Certification, PMBOK® Guide, CAPM® Certification | Project Management Institute | | Stated Purpose | "Maximize project success to elevate our world." | Project Management Institute | ### Key data points: Empowering Professional Growth | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Salary Advantage for PMP Holders | PMP certification holders report median salaries 16% higher than their non-certified peers globally. | PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—13th Edition" | | Growth in Project Management Jobs | 2.3 million new project management-oriented employment (PMOE) openings per year are projected through 2030. | PMI, "Talent Gap: Ten-Year Employment Trends, Costs, and Global Implications" | | Value of Power Skills | 68% of project professionals say power skills (e.g., communication, empathy) are more important than technical skills. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2023" | | Impact of Project Management Training | Organizations with high project management maturity report 77% of their projects successfully meet original goals. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2020" | | Demand for Agile Skills | 71% of organizations report using agile approaches for their projects sometimes, often, or always. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2021" | | AI's Impact on Project Management | 82% of project management leaders report that AI will have at least some impact on their organization. | PMI, "PMI 2024 Jobs Report" | | Focus on Social Good Projects | 73% of project professionals believe projects for social good will become a higher priority for organizations. | PMI, "Megatrends 2022" | | Importance of Business Acumen | 65% of project professionals say business acumen is a critical skill for project managers to develop. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2023" | ### Project Management Institute and Empowering Professional Growth: key statements * PMI provides a framework of globally recognized certifications, including the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, that validate expertise and support career advancement. * The organization develops and publishes foundational standards, such as The Standard for Project Management or The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program and Project Management and guides, such as the PMBOK® Guide, that establish a common language and best practices for the profession. * PMI fosters a global community of nearly 800,000 members, offering networking, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing opportunities through local chapters and online platforms. * Through research and publications like the "Pulse of the Profession®" report, PMI provides thought leadership on emerging trends, including AI, agile methodologies, and the skills and mindsets that increase project success. * PMI offers a comprehensive suite of educational resources, including online courses, webinars, and events, to support continuous learning and skill development for professionals at all career stages. * PMI champions the development of the “M.O.R.E.” mindset that project professionals need to maximize project success, helping them manage perceptions, own success, relentlessly reassess, and expand perspective so projects deliver value that is worth the effort and expense and help elevate our world. * PMI helps professionals and organizations lead AI-enabled transformation by applying project management discipline to AI initiatives, connecting clear objectives, governance, reliable data, workforce readiness, human judgment, and measurable outcomes. * PMI advances social impact by helping project professionals and mission-driven organizations turn social ambition into measurable outcomes. Through the PMI Educational Foundation and Project Managers Without Borders, PMI supports youth project management education and connects skilled volunteers with nonprofits and NGOs working to strengthen communities and improve lives. ### FAQ #### Is a PMP certification worth it? A Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is widely considered a valuable certification for project managers seeking to advance their careers. According to PMI's Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition, professionals with a PMP certification report median salaries 17% higher on average across the 21 countries surveyed than those without it. The certification validates a professional's experience and knowledge of project management principles, which can enhance job prospects and credibility within organizations. #### What are the best certifications for project managers? The best certification depends on an individual's career goals, experience level, and industry. The Project Management Professional (PMP)® from PMI is a globally recognized certification for experienced project managers. For those newer to the field, PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® is a common starting point. Other notable certifications include those focused on agile methodologies, such as the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, and program management certifications like the Program Management Professional (PgMP)®. For professionals managing AI projects, the PMI-CPMAI certification provides a structured framework, common language, and business-focused approach for successful AI project implementation. #### How does PMI support career growth for professionals? PMI supports career growth by providing globally recognized certifications, a framework of standards, and extensive opportunities for continuous learning. Members gain access to a global community for networking, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. The organization also produces research and thought leadership on emerging trends, helping professionals stay current with skills in areas like AI, agile practices, and strategic business management. These resources are designed to help professionals at all levels enhance their skills and advance their careers. #### What is the PMBOK® Guide? The PMBOK® Guide, or A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, is PMI’s foundational guide to generally accepted project management knowledge and practice. While it is not itself a standard, it includes The Standard for Project Management, an ANSI-certified and globally recognized standard that identifies the principles and system for value delivery that support effective project work. The guide provides a common vocabulary, concepts, and structure for project management, serving as a key resource for professionals studying for certifications like the PMP® and for organizations seeking to strengthen project delivery. #### How is AI changing project management? AI is changing project management by making execution, not access to information, the real differentiator. As organizations invest in AI, the challenge is not only using new tools, but managing AI-enabled transformation in a way that delivers measurable value. Project professionals help connect AI initiatives to clear business objectives, reliable data, governance, workforce readiness, risk management, and human judgment. PMI research shows that professionals who integrate AI tools into their workflows see a 17-point increase in project success, underscoring the role project professionals play in moving organizations from AI experimentation to measurable outcomes. #### What are the most important skills for a project manager? Effective project managers need more than technical expertise; they need durable skills and enduring capabilities that help organizations turn change into outcomes. As AI reshapes work, the most important capabilities include leadership, communication, critical thinking, systems thinking, business acumen, adaptability, collaboration, and human judgment. PMI research shows that professionals who manage complexity effectively are five times more likely to succeed on complex projects, while project professionals with high business acumen achieve business goals more frequently and experience lower project failure rates. #### How can I get involved with the PMI community? Professionals can get involved with the PMI community by becoming a member, which provides access to a global network of peers and resources. Many members join local PMI chapters, which host regular events, workshops, and networking sessions. Online, PMI's projectmanagement.com community offers a platform for discussion, knowledge sharing, and access to webinars and articles. Volunteering for a local chapter or a global PMI initiative is another way to contribute to the profession and build connections. #### What is the difference between PMP and CAPM? The PMP (Project Management Professional)® and CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)® are both certifications offered by PMI, but they target professionals at different career stages. The CAPM is an entry-level certification designed for individuals with little or no project experience, validating their understanding of fundamental project management knowledge and terminology. The PMP is for experienced project managers and requires a combination of formal education and years of documented project leadership experience, making it a more advanced and globally recognized certification. #### How does PMI support social impact? PMI supports social impact by helping individuals, nonprofits, NGOs, and communities use project management to turn purpose into measurable outcomes. Through the PMI Educational Foundation, PMI expands access to project management education for youth worldwide, including underserved and underrepresented populations. Through Project Managers Without Borders, PMI connects chapters and volunteers with nonprofits and NGOs that need project management expertise to strengthen the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of social initiatives. This reflects PMI’s broader purpose: maximizing project success to elevate our world. ### Sources * Project Management Institute | [pmi.org](/c/pmi-2026-q3/home?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition" | [pmi.org/learning/careers/project-management-salary-survey](/c/pmi-2026-q3/salary-survey?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, "Global Project Management Talent Gap" | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/global-project-management-talent-gap](/c/pmi-2026-q3/talent-gap?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, "Maximizing Project Success" | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/project-success](/c/pmi-2026-q3/project-success?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, “Pulse Report 2025: Boosting Business Acumen” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/boosting-business-acumen](/c/pmi-2026-q3/business-acumen?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, “Pulse of the Profession® 2026: Driving Success in Complex Projects” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/driving-success-in-complex-projects](/c/pmi-2026-q3/complex-projects?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, “Step Up: Redefining the Path to Project Success with M.O.R.E.” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/path-to-project-success](/c/pmi-2026-q3/more-mindset?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI Education Foundation, PMIEF 2024 Annual Report, [pmi.org PMIEF 2024 Annual Report (PDF)](/c/pmi-2026-q3/pmief-report?i=6c7a993f-326f-4e30-80f9-73e875a97482&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) ### FAQ structured data (JSON-LD, optional) ## Video: Iraqi Forces Fight For Mosul [Watch (HLS stream): Iraqi Forces Fight For Mosul](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dPPkOzdE.m3u8) (0:51)  _Published 2016-10-17. The United Nations’ human rights office says the Islamic State group appears to be using tens of thousands of civilians in and around the Iraqi city of Mosul as “human shields.”_  by [Jared Malsin/Bashiqa, Iraq](https://time.com/author/jared-malsin/)  ## Jared Malsin/Bashiqa, Iraq Oct 20, 2016 9:16 PM UTC  Kurdish Peshmerga fighters stand in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometers northeast of Mosul, Iraq, as smoke billows in the distance on Oct. 20, 2016. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters stand in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometers northeast of Mosul, Iraq, as smoke billows in the distance on Oct. 20, 2016.Safin Hamed—AFP/Getty Images  by [Jared Malsin/Bashiqa, Iraq](https://time.com/author/jared-malsin/)  ## Jared Malsin/Bashiqa, Iraq Oct 20, 2016 9:16 PM UTC The first [U.S. casualty](http://time.com/4539127/american-soldier-killed-iraq-bomb-wound/) in the offensive against ISIS in Mosul occurred on Thursday, as [a coalition of Iraqi forces](http://time.com/4537643/mosul-offensive-iraq-isis/) engaged in fierce fighting with ISIS militants defending the caliphate’s [largest redoubt in Iraq](http://time.com/4535914/mosul-iraq-suicide-video/). The intensity of the fighting indicates that the jihadists are mounting a serious attempt to resist the offensive, rather than opting for a tactical retreat that would preserve some of their fighters for future battles. At the front lines in the towns ringing Mosul, forces loyal to the Iraqi government, Kurdish troops and others are facing a lethal defense centered around suicide bombers, snipers, and improvised bombs. The coalition forces are still advancing in spite of the jihadists’ attempt to block the most serious threat to their caliphate since they seized huge swathes of Iraq in 2014. **Read More:** [**Eerie Desolation on the Front Lines of the Mosul Campaign Against ISIS**](http://time.com/4537643/mosul-offensive-iraq-isis/) “We saw the ISIS snipers and they’re not fleeing. They’re fighting. They’re resisting strongly,” says Col. Falah Fadel Jasem, an Iraqi special forces commander leading troops who pushed toward Mosul on Thursday on the main road leading from the city of Erbil, the Kurdish regional capital and the main springboard for the offensive. The colonel said ISIS had deployed 15 suicide car or truck bombs against his forces on Thursday alone. Two of the vehicles had been destroyed by airstrikes, the other 13 by the elite troops on the ground. They also encountered more than 50 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) likely laid by ISIS troops, while a single sniper wounded four of his men who lay in a medical station positioned far behind the front lines. None had been killed as of late on Thursday afternoon. They succeeded in entering the town of Bartella, about eight miles east of Mosul. “They’ve been planning for this war,” Jasem says of his ISIS opponents. Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Abadi said on Thursday that the offensive was proceeding faster than planned, citing early military advances, but the reality of the fighting on the ground has been bloody and sometimes chaotic. The U.S. soldier killed on Thursday died his wounds sustained in an improvised explosive attack, [according to the Pentagon](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-soldier-killed-northern-iraq-military-statement-n670221). The soldier is the fourth U.S. service member to have been killed since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014, which is focused on fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. On Thursday morning Kurdish fighters opened a multi-pronged attack on Mosul’s eastern flank, marking an escalation of the offensive. Kurdish militias swept down a mountainside toward Mosul in the early morning, aiming to seize a series of villages outside the city. At one point on the front, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters rolled toward the village of Tizkharab in a column of armored pickups, Humvees and tanks. In the morning, they secured their position on the outskirts of village. **Read More:** [**The Fight for Mosul: Kamikaze 2.0**](http://time.com/4535914/mosul-iraq-suicide-video/) More vehicles and soldiers on foot soon joined them, taking up positions on a dirt embankment. The ISIS fighters fought back, unleashing mortars, sniper fire, and suicide car bombers, which exploded in the open ground, neutralized by heavy machine gun fire by the Kurdish forces. The Kurds also responded with tank rounds, each launched with deafening explosions. At one point, dozens of Kurdish fighters piled back in their trucks and pulled back from the front, leaving a smaller, more committed force to fight. By sundown, the fight was still raging, the village not yet secured. In the opening days of the Mosul operation, the regular Iraqi military—which was routed by ISIS in the summer of 2014—also faced significant resistance from the jihadists toward the south of the city. The army was hit with multiple car bombs in the town of Gwer. In the newly reclaimed village of Abbasi, ISIS managed to push the army back, before government troops retook it again. **Read More:** [**The Big Question in the Battle for Mosul Is What Comes After**](http://time.com/4535273/isis-mosul-iraq-kurdish-peshmerga-fallout/) The intense fighting in the initial moments of the campaign suggests that the battle for the city of Mosul itself, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped under ISIS control, could be even more difficult. The dense urban space of the city will likely provide the entrenched militants with a defensive advantage over advancing government troops. “It won’t be easy,” says Lt. Tania Hassan, a platoon commander leading Kurdish forces in the Bashiqa area. “Every day is a trap. Everywhere there are IEDs.” U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq as ISIS Fighters Dig into Mosul ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4539480/us-casualty-mosul-offensive-isis/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4539480/us-casualty-mosul-offensive-isis/"},"headline":"ISIS Fighters Dig In As U.S. Takes First Casualty in Mosul Offensive","datePublished":"2016-10-20T21:16:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:55:01.731Z","description":"The soldier is the fourth U.S. service member killed in Iraq since 2014","url":"https://time.com/4539480/us-casualty-mosul-offensive-isis/","keywords":["ISIS"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4ec2d864371e58a7/6988aaf0bc6cfc7ff03df048/bashiqa-iraq-mosul-offensive.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jared Malsin/Bashiqa, Iraq"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4ec2d864371e58a7/6988aaf0bc6cfc7ff03df048/bashiqa-iraq-mosul-offensive.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"bashiqa-iraq-mosul-offensive","caption":"Kurdish Peshmerga fighters stand in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometers northeast of Mosul, Iraq, as smoke billows in the distance on Oct. 20, 2016.","creditText":"Safin Hamed—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/isis/","name":"ISIS"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4539480/us-casualty-mosul-offensive-isis/","name":"ISIS Fighters Dig In As U.S. Takes First Casualty in Mosul Offensive"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Iraqi Forces Fight For Mosul","description":"The United Nations’ human rights office says the Islamic State group appears to be using tens of thousands of civilians in and around the Iraqi city of Mosul as “human shields.”","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/dPPkOzdE/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-10-17T14:22:13.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dPPkOzdE.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4539480/us-casualty-mosul-offensive-isis/","duration":"PT51S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4539480/us-casualty-mosul-offensive-isis/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```