Supply chain professionals need certification, such as Certified Professional Supply Chain or Certified Purchasing Manager, which can be obtained through organizations like APICS, ISM, and Accenture. Each certification has specific requirements and exams.
Supply chain professionals include buyers, commodity managers, and purchasing managers. Many supply chain management jobs require supply chain certification as a prerequisite. The different types of supply chain certification are Certified Professional Supply Chain, Certified Purchasing Manager, Certified Professional in Supply Management, and Retail Supply Chain Certification. The most common supply chain programs are offered by APICS, ISM and Accenture. In addition, many four-year colleges and universities offer degrees or a supply chain program.
The American Society for Production and Inventory Control (APICS), which is now known as the Association for Operations Management, was founded in 1957. The guiding principles are “the advancement of productivity, innovation and competitive success.” Originally intended for production managers to become proficient in areas such as production control, inventory management, resource planning and demand management, APICS has now broadened its scope to include program management and supply chain certification.
The association has rigorous standards in four separate disciplines, including supply chain. The Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) certification was introduced in 2010 and requires a candidate to have previous experience in supply chain management. The candidate must also pass a proctored computer exam. Recertification is required every five years. Recertification includes publishing work on supply chain, taking supply chain courses, and continuing experience in the field of supply chain.
The Institute of Supply Management (ISM), formerly known as the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM), is another organization that offers supply chain specialists the opportunity to receive supply chain certification. As of 2010, ISM confers two types of certifications: Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) and Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM). Each certification requires previous or current work experience in the procurement and supply chain field.
The CPSM certification is aimed at managers and requires at least three years of management experience, a bachelor’s degree and the successful completion of three exam modules. The CPM certification is intended for professionals in the field of contract negotiations and supplier relationship management. CPM certification requires previous work experience and successful completion of four exam modules.
Accenture offers a retail supply chain certification (RSCC). The candidate is required to take and pass four exams. Exams are fundamental to supply chain, inventory management, forecasting and planning, and metrics and process integration.
Unlike the APICS and ISM certifications, the RSCC designation does not require a candidate to have a business or managerial degree. Instead, the program is designed to teach candidates and train them through a 40-hour supply chain course. The goal of Accenture’s program is to educate retailers, suppliers and Accenture employees on aspects of the supply chain specific to the retail industry.
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