The value of international ASCM certifications.
Do you know what are the benefits of being certified in any professional field? Let me mention a few:
Prove your domain in the field in which you are certified.
Enjoy professional credibility with your colleagues, and the market in which you and your business compete.
Be a benchmark in your field in the economic sector and in the country where you carry out your work.
Maintain a commitment with yourself, with your colleagues and with the profession to be constantly developing and updated on all the trends and models of change that affect the different economic sectors in which you can work.
Fully comply with a code of ethics in their profession, which establishes principles of behavior towards the certifying entity, towards the profession, their colleagues, towards the market where they compete, towards local and international institutions that influence their performance as a professional of said field, and more importantly, that you live fully your principles of life in congruence with the code of ethics of your profession.
Now I want to talk a little about APICS/ASCM certifications.
APICS has been certifying people since 1973 with the first certification which is the CPIM, and progressively the CSCP, CLTD and SCOR-P certifications have been incorporated.
The CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management) now (Certified in Planning and Inventory Management) certification is designed for professionals in the areas of production and inventory in all industries, where Supply Chain, Purchasing and Planning Managers, Materials Managers, Production Planners and Consultants are the ones who have looked the most for it. Its scope covers the planning, sourcing and manufacturing processes of the supply chain, as well as continuous improvement. This certification is the most established worldwide. Its new structure, introduced this year has the following structure and 1 exam:
Module 1: Supply Chain and Strategy.
Module 2: Sales and Operations Planning.
Module 3: Demand.
Module 4: Supply.
Module 5: Detailed Schedules.
Module 6: Inventory.
Module 7: Distribution.
Module 8: Quality, Technology and Continuous Improvement.
What value does this certification add to your resume?
Recognition in the labor market for the use of a solid and proven standard for planning and managing operations and inventory.
Recognition from potential employers for your abilities to define competitiveness, supply chain, operations, risks, technology and sustainability strategies to increase the performance of the company that acquires your services.
The potential for higher income in companies that know the APICS / ASCM standard and know how to value your effort and your ability to display your skills.
Recognition before private institutions and associations dedicated to researching and developing knowledge and practices to raise the level of the different disciplines of the supply chain.
Recognition from your peers for your effort, dedication and ability to apply in the discipline of planning and inventory management.
Be part of a recognized worldwide selected group of individuals with the knowledge to effectively plan operations and manage inventory in the supply chain.
The CPIM certification allows you to validate and demonstrate skills such as:
The ability to improve a company's productivity and increase its profitability by optimizing inventory management.
Forecasting.
Master scheduling for manufacturing and production plants, but at the same time you can apply the knowledge to schedule the provision of services.
Materials Requirements Planning.
Production and manufacturing scheduling and control, as well as scheduling and control of service operations.
Developing of a cycle counting program for inventory management in organizations of any type.
Manage the movement of inventory in all its categories in any type of organization.
Management of product reception operations from the supplier facilities and the control exercised to prevent defects from flowing to the production lines and exit docks.
Plan the capacity of an organization at its different levels: Resource planning, roughcut capacity planning and capacity requirements planning at the operational level.
Coordination of the Sales and Operation Planning process, also designing an appropriate framework for this process in your organization.
Definition of competitiveness, market entry, segmentation, supply chain and sustainability strategies.
Development of work plans to define operating and capital budgets for manufacturing and service provision companies.
Alignment of operations strategies (capacity, supply network, process technology, measurement and improvement).
Execution of master resource planning at all levels.
Detailed scheduling and contro,l and execution of operations.
With our CPIM training program you will have access to complementary resources to support the implementation of knowledge in your company, which you will only receive at Sigmacol.
The CPIM Certification consists of a 150 questions and 3.5-hour long exam. Exams are administered by computer at authorized Pearson Vue centers worldwide. After passing the exam, the CPIM certification is earned. Learn more about the certification by clicking here.
The CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) certification is designed for professionals who want to gain the skills to manage the end-to-end supply chain. Its body of knowledge has evolved to version 5.0 and now consists of 8 modules:
Module 1: Supply Chains, Demand Management and Forecasting.
Module 2: Global Supply Chain Networks.
Module 3: Sourcing Products and Services.
Module 4: Internal Operations and Inventory.
Module 5: Forward and Reverse Logistics.
Module 6: Supply Chain Relationships.
Module 7: Supply Chain Risk.
Module 8: Optimization, Sustainability, and Technology.
What value does this certification add to your resume?
An understanding of end-to-end supply chain management.
Knowledge of supply chain standards unique in the world (and Sigmacol supports you in understanding their implementation).
Recognition in the labor market for the use of a global supply chain standard and a solid body of knowledge that guarantees your employer that your skills will help the company raise the level of performance, integrating operations and strategies with its business partners.
Recognition before potential employers for your abilities to define competitiveness, supply chain design, planning, risks, technology and sustainability strategies to increase the performance of the company that acquires your services.
The potential for higher income in companies that know the APICS / ASCM standard and know how to value your effort and your ability to display your skills.
Recognition before private institutions and associations dedicated to researching and developing knowledge and practices to raise the level of performance of supply chains in various industries.
Recognition from your peers for your effort, dedication and application capacity in the holistic management of the supply chain.
Be part of a recognized worldwide selected group of individuals with the knowledge to effectively and holistically manage supply chains.
The CSCP certification allows you to validate and demonstrate skills such as:
The ability to optimize production and reduce costs by looking strategically outside of internal operations and throughout the supply chain (the entire spectrum and scope of the internal and extended supply chain).
The design and planning of a supply chain.
The most productive management approach with business partners.
The most efficient, convenient and productive management approach with 3PL and 4PL organizations.
The management of distribution channels.
Customer relationship management.
The use of the data to align the production, distribution, purchases and provision of services.
Manage risks in the supply chain with a solid framework.
Integrate functions and work teams for a more efficient, effective, agile and responsive management of the supply chain.
A solid learning curve in supply chain standards and practices that enable your employer to achieve desired levels of supply chain performance.
Strategic management of the supply chain.
With our CSCP training program you will have access to complementary resources to support the implementation of knowledge in your company, which you will only receive at Sigmacol.
Both the material and the exam have been updated based on the work of the analysis team, market feedback and changes in the business environment.
The certification has 1 exam and consists of 150 questions to be answered in 3.5 hours. Certification is earned by passing that single exam, which is also delivered via computer at authorized Pearson Vue centers worldwide. Learn more about the certification by clicking here.
The CLTD (Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution) certification is the most recent of the APICS certifications, launched to the market in the last quarter of 2017. It provides a body of knowledge, best practices and standards for the Logistics, Transportation and Distribution industries.
This certification consists of 9 modules:
Module 1: Logistics Overview and Strategy.
Module 2: Logistics Network Design.
Module 3: Sustainability and Reverse Logistics.
Module 4: Capacity Planning and Demand Management.
Module 5: Order management.
Module 6: Inventory Management.
Module 7: Warehouse Management.
Module 8: Transportation.
Module 9: Global Logistics Considerations.
What value does this certification add to your resume?
Be recognized by potential employers and colleagues as a valuable resource for managing logistics, transportation, and distribution operations.
Knowledge of supply chain standards unique in the world (and Sigmacol supports you in understanding their implementation).
Recognition in the labor market for the use of a global supply chain standard and a solid body of knowledge that guarantees your employer that your skills will help the company raise the level of performance, designing robust logistics operations and integration with the business partners.
Recognition from potential employers for your abilities to define a logistics strategy that allows companies to position themselves more competitively in their markets and in potential markets.
Opportunity to obtain higher income in companies that know the APICS / ASCM standard and know how to value your effort and your ability to display your skills.
Recognition before private institutions and associations dedicated to researching and developing knowledge and practices to raise the level of logistics operations that include transportation and distribution.
Recognition from your peers for your effort, dedication and ability to apply your knowledge to manage logistics operations.
Be part of a recognized worldwide selected group of individuals with the knowledge to effectively manage logistics, transportation and distribution operations.
The CLTD certification allows you to validate and demonstrate skills such as:
Know how to increase efficiency in distribution and storage activities to optimize the movement of products to the end customer.
The design and deployment of the logistics strategy for the organization.
The design of efficient and effective logistics networks.
Design the capacity strategy for logistics operations.
The efficient management of orders and the definition of the service policy aligned to the customer's expectations and the organization's capabilities.
The management of logistics costs.
Planning of storage, transportation and distribution activities.
The design of distribution channels.
Definition of the correct intermodality for the company's logistics operations.
Knowledge of global trade standards that affect the operations and capacity of the organization.
The most productive management approach with business partners.
The most efficient, convenient and productive management approach with 3PL and 4PL organizations.
The management of sales and distribution channels.
Customer relationship management.
The selection and management of the appropriate technology for logistics operations.
Manage risks in the supply chain with a solid framework.
Develop integration mechanisms with the rest of internal functions and with partners to make logistics more efficient.
A solid learning curve in supply chain standards and practices that allow your employer to achieve the desired performance levels for logistics operations.
Be an enabler of comprehensive logistics for your company.
With our CLTD training program you will have access to complementary resources to support the implementation of the knowledge in your company, which you will only receive at Sigmacol.
The certification has 1 exam and consists of 150 questions to be solved in 3.5 hours. It is presented through authorized Pearson Vue centers worldwide. Once you pass this one-time exam, you get the certification. Learn more about the certification by clicking here.
The SCOR model (Supply Chain Operations Reference Model) is the framework for the world's leading supply chain which relates in a standard and unique way the processes, metrics, practices and skills of people in a single structure.
What value does this SCOR-P certification add to your resume?
Be recognized by potential employers and colleagues as a valuable resource for the design and performance evaluation of any supply chain.
Being a highly specialized resource in the configuration, measurement, evaluation and improvement of supply chains in any type of organization in any industry.
Being part of a worlwide selected group of specialists with the knowledge and ability to apply the global standard of supply chain management, who can lead efforts for a company to certify the management of its internal and extended chain.
Being a resource that, paradoxically, due to its degree of specialization in the configuration and evaluation of the supply chain, can implement the standard in any type of organization and industry globally.
Recognition before private institutions and associations dedicated to researching and developing knowledge and practices to raise the level of performance of supply chains.
Recognition from your peers for your effort, dedication and ability to apply a global standard for the supply chain.
The SCOR-P certification allows you to validate and demonstrate skills such as:
Design and configuration of any supply chain in any type of organization and industry.
Evaluation and measurement of the performance of any supply chain in any type of industry.
Knowledge of the global supply chain standard for the certification of organizations.
Management of implementation projects for the design and confiuration of supply chains.
The selection of emerging practices and best practices associated with the management of people, processes and technology in any supply chain.
Design of strategies to increase the reliability, agility, flexibility, adaptability and profitability of any supply chain.
Companies that apply SCOR obtain many benefits, among which are documented:
Average increase in sales of 3% (companies with global reach).
Improved inventory turnover by 20%.
30% more agile system implementations with greater functionality.
SCOR displays 5 performance attributes:
Reliability: This attribute refers to the ability to perform tasks in the expected manner. It focuses on the predictability of the outcome of a process. Typical measures for the reliability attribute include: on time, the right quantity, and the right quality. A typical indicator is Perfect Order Fulfillment.
Responsiveness: describes the speed at which the task is performed. A typical measure is cycle time. A typical indicator is Cycle Time to Order Fulfillment.
Agility: describes the ability to respond to external influences and the ability to change. Indicators include flexibility and adaptability.
Costs: describes the cost of operating the process. Includes labor, material and transportation costs. Typical indicators include Costs of Goods Sold (COGS) and Supply Chain Management Costs.
Assets: describes the ability to use assets efficiently, which includes inventory reduction and in-sourcing decisions vs. outsourcing. Key indicators include Cash-to-Cash Cycle Time and Return on Assets.
SCOR has three levels of indicators:
Level 1 indicators: diagnose the overall health of the supply chain. They are also known as strategic measures or key performance indicators (KPI). They are benchmarking measures that help establish realistic goals that support strategic objectives.
Level 2 indicators: Serve as a diagnostic for Level 1 indicators. The diagnostic relationship helps to identify the root cause or causes of performance gaps for a level 1 indicator.
Level 3 indicators: serve as a diagnostic for level 2 indicators.
The SCOR-P (Supply Chain Operations Reference Professional) designation is for life and is obtained by passing 1 computer exam of 60 questions, attending authorized Pearson Vue centers worldwide. Learn more about the certification by clicking here.
Download the comparison chart for APICS certifications and designations..
Throughout the years as an APICS Partner in Colombia, we have achieved a First Pass Rate of 92% for certification exams in the country and in regional projects (27 percentage points above the average). This is thanks to the efforts of our participants, who have followed our guide to optimize their study plan. During this time we have designed resources that many participants have been able to take advantage of, not only to pass the exam, but also to correctly implement the concepts and methods learned in their organizations. Obtaining an international certification means validating the experience and skills towards a certain process or function following a recognized and proven standard. The certification exam validates that all the effort put in by the participanta and their work experience are aligned with the body of knowledge on which they certify their skills. At Sigmacol we are going to demand a lot from you in the certification process, but the reward will be very satisfying.
Finally, below is an interesting graph that shows a ranking of preference and the growing interest of people to earn a certification in Supply Chain and Operations from APICS.
Source: SCM World’s 2014 ranking of Supply Chain Associations Certification based on participant’s ranking of top 3 associations
* APICS and the Supply Chain Council merge in 2014 to be called APICS Supply Chain Council
I hope I have shed some light on APICS certifications to our subscribers, customers and users in general.
I look forward to your comments and queries about APICS Certifications. You can contact me directly through the email carlos.perozo@sigmacol.com and I will gladly clarify your doubts.
Greetings!
Carlos Perozo, CPIM, CSCP, CLTD, APICS Instructor CESA Region.
