The first comprehensive educational programme designed for operations and supply chain management professionals has been launched in South Africa by SAPICS, the Professional Society for Supply Chain Management.
The society is offering the new, internationally-recognised Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) programme in association with its United States-based affiliate, APICS - the Association for Operations Management.
Supply chain management is playing a growing role in all organisations, from the manufacturing to the service industry, and in companies that serve business and consumer markets, for profit or not-for-profit. SAPICS president Tracy Cheetham says: "Customers already expect good quality at low prices, and speed of delivery is becoming increasingly critical. Successful supply chain management has become essential to compete successfully in today's competitive global marketplace."
The CSCP programme takes a broad view of the supply chain management field. It extends beyond internal operations to encompass all the steps throughout the supply chain - from the supplier, through the company, to the end-user. It is designed to enable graduates to manage these activities in order to maximise a company's value chain.
Explains Cheetham: "The programme provides professionals with the skills necessary to understand and manage the integration and coordination of activities within today's increasingly complex supply chains. Students will learn how to design and develop a supply chain strategy that aligns with corporate strategy; understand how to manage supplier and customer relationships; and recognise how logistics, technology and data can enhance performance. In addition, they will discover how to achieve the seamless integration of all processes to meet customer needs, reduce costs and increase profits."
The CSCP designation is ideal for individuals seeking a greater depth of knowledge and understanding in the areas of supplier and customer relations, international trade, the use of information technology to enable the supply chain, and physical logistics. It is also aimed at professionals consulting or teaching supply chain functions and those working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
Graduates of the CSCP programme can expect to gain specialised skills that will boost productivity, collaboration and innovation, Cheetham continues. "They will learn how to positively affect lead times, inventory, productivity and bottom-line profitability, as well as how to effectively and efficiently manage supply chain activities involving suppliers, plants, distributors and customers around the world.
"Further benefits of the programme include career advancement opportunities and increased earning potential."
The CSCP programme complements SAPICS's other internationally-recognised education offerings - the Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) programmes. These qualifications, together with the new CSCP programme, are industry-specific alternatives to an MBA, offering graduates career results similar to those of an MBA.
A recent salary survey undertaken in the USA by APICS revealed that respondents with the CPIM designation earn an average of 29% more than non-certified respondents. In South Africa, supply chain management qualifications are gaining increasing recognition, and SAPICS is committed to promoting its programmes, and raising their profile in the industry.
"The supply chain profession is advancing at an incredible pace, and industry professionals need to ask themselves whether they are keeping up," stresses Cheetham.
A presentation on the new CSCP qualification will be a feature of the 28th annual SAPICS Conference & Exhibition, which takes place at Sun City from 4 to 7 June 2006. Africa's leading event for supply chain management professionals, the SAPICS Conference attracts some 800 visitors each year. The theme of the 2006 conference is 'Supply Chain Vitality', and its aim will be to provide delegates with the skills to create a vital supply chain that in turn creates a strong, successful infrastructure.
In response to feedback from 2005 delegates, SAPICS has reduced the duration of the 2006 conference and exhibition to three days, opening on Sunday evening and ending with the gala dinner on Tuesday night. The 2005 conference attracted some of the most eminent and sought-after speakers in the event's history, and the society has now issued a call for papers for the 2006 conference, in order to secure equally exceptional speakers from the global supply chain industry.
About SAPICS
The South African Professional Society for Supply Chain Management - comprises professional members from across the spectrum of South African industry. Since its foundation in 1966, SAPICS has become the leading provider of knowledge in supply chain management, production and operations in South Africa. The society is closely affiliated to APICS - The Association for Operations Management in America.
SAPICS is the South African custodian of three internationally recognised certification programmes - Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) and the newly launched Certified Supply Chain Professional Programme (CSCP). The society's education offerings are aimed at advancing manufacturers' ability to succeed in a changing and increasingly competitive marketplace.
For more information contact Jenny Lazell, Conference Secretariat, SAPICS, 011 805 5677, [email protected], www.sapics.org.za
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