Supply Chain Certifications
Supply chain focused certifications are required for professional and managerial roles in many companies. They are evidence one has mastered a body of knowledge and passed a uniform series of assessments on that knowledge.
SCM certifications vary in prestige and market value, influenced by the quality of the sponsoring organization, the maturity and acceptance of the body of knowledge, the rigorousness of tests, experience and college degree requirements, and the continuing education required to maintain certification. For example, many organizations offer "Lean certification" or "black belt certification". The value of these certificates depend on the reputation of the sponsoring organization. For these we chose the certification programs offered by the fields' top professional organizations.
Many companies promote the Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) certification for operations management personnel because it does not require individuals have a college degree or meet experience requirements. The learning requirements, however, are rigorous, consisting of five test modules, each a three hour test. The modules are 1) Basics of Supply Chain Management, 2) Master Planning of Resources, 3) Detailed Scheduling and Planning, 4) Execution and Control of Operations and 5) Strategic Resource Management.
| Certification | Stands for | Focus | Organization | # Holders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPIM | Certified in Production & Inventory Management | Operations Management | APICS: The Association for Operations Management | 43,000 |
| CSCP | Certified Supply Chain Professional | Supply Chain Management | APICS: The Association for Operations Management | 9,000 |
| CSMP | Certified Supply Management Professional | Supply Management | ISM: Institute of Supply Management | New Program |
| Lean Certificate | Gold (Highest level of Bronze, Silver, Gold) | Lean | SME: Society of Manufacturing Engineers with the Shingo Prize organization. | New Program |
| Black belt | (Highest level of Six Sigma certification) | Six Sigma | ASQ: American Society for Quality | |
| CPM | Certified Purchasing Manager (being transitioned to CSMP) | Supply Management | ISM: Institute of Supply Management | 20,000 |
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