THE impact of supply chain skills and knowledge on a business’s success means that not just supply chain managers, but managers in other areas of the business also need to upskill.
Recognising this growing need, the professional body for supply chain management in southern Africa (SAPICS), is promoting an entry-level supply chain training programme.
The Certified Supply Chain Analyst (CSCA) is an internationally-recognised qualification from the International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA). It has been designed for candidates who are new to supply chain management, who have moved into a new role involving supply chain management, or who would like to expand their knowledge.
“The supply chain is the one function in an organisation that touches all others. Today, with the supply chain more widely recognised as a driver of revenue, customer satisfaction and overall business success, the need for supply chain education is increasing,” says SAPICS president, MJ Schoemaker.
“The CSCA course – facilitated by SAPICS as an authorised ISCEA knowledge provider – enables students to successfully attain the international CSCA credential. It includes the processes, tools and concepts needed to understand, enhance and improve supply chain efficiency and profitability, as well as useful approaches to cleaning, analysing, and deriving understanding from actual supply chain databases. The content covered provides the knowledge and preparation required to sit for the examination,” she explains.
“This programme will benefit young professionals starting their career in supply chain management, those considering a move into the profession and anyone who wants to gain a solid foundational knowledge of the end-to-end supply chain,” she expands.
The SAPICS CSCA course takes place over two weeks and comprises five half-day online workshops facilitated by a SAPICS supply chain education specialist. An online exam is included, as well as comprehensive course material and an online study guide.
“Students will gain in-depth knowledge of effective logistics and supply chain management practices and learn how to use them to improve their own operations,” Schoemaker says. “They will explore the key aspects of supply chain management and discover opportunities for improving efficiency and effectiveness. Using supply chain analysis and through examination of their current operations, they will be able to adopt an optimal supply chain strategy to create competitive advantage for their organisation and to eliminate internal and external barriers to a more flexible supply chain. On completion of the training, and once they have successfully passed the exam, they will become a Certified Supply Chain Analyst.”
This year’s course kicks off in February, starting with the first of five half-day workshops on February 21, 2023.
The CSCA has been commended by graduates. Supply chain management accountant at PEP Stores, Renier van Rooyen commented: “I have been part of the supply chain industry for a number of years now, but this course gave me new insight as to why things happen in the distribution centres the way they do. Understanding supply chain is what this course is all about.”
The CSCA courses are presented by SAPICS education partners Marieta Glas, Colin Seftel and Ken Titmuss.
