Although I know you would need to have the all the technical know-hows to become a Project Manager in a specific industry (e.g. IT industry), is it absolutely necessary to first be on a technical position for sometime before moving into Project Management?? I see it more of a position with a good blend of technical and analytical skills because, unlike a traditional management position, the Project Management discipline seems to be an area where you are helping an organization meet its goals by making the most use of resources and minimizing risk. I know that technical people later on move to Management later on in their respective fields after gaining experience and advanced degrees. Is it the same for Project Managers? I understand that PM positions (just like Business Analysts) are horizontal to Technical people and not vertical. Correct me if I am wrong here.. Also, what are some of the commonly used tools??