What is the scope of Supply Chain Management?

Hello,

This was a question that came up on LinkedIN, and I chose to respond to his question. I think that it is something that can be very useful for other prospective students.

This is not a simple question to answer. A great definition comes directly from APICS. Supply Chain Management is the “design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand, and measuring performance globally.” There are two associations that one can go to, to get their certification. They are APICS and ISM. Both associations offer different certifications depending on what your area of focus will be; purchasing or operations. Therefore, your first step would be to decide in which area are you going to focus on. ISM offers certification for your Certified Professional in Supply Management® (CPSM®). APICS offers two certifications; Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), and Certified Supply Chain Professional. (CSCP).

Once you make your decision on which route you want to take, you need to then find the appropriate program of study that will help you to achieve that certification. Through University of San Francisco, there is a Master Certificate program in Supply Chain Management. This program serves two purposes. You are prepared for certification, as well as learning the entire supply chain. This can be invaluable for you when seeking out employment. It is essential that you understand the supply chain from end-to-end. You can visit USF’s online program for more information. I have provided a link to their program below. Once you complete your online course, you will then need to pass the certification exam, and then fulfill your work experience requirement. Most likely, you will start in an entry level position and work your way up.

Here is a list of some common entry level positions that you can look into further: Supply Chain Consultant, Supply Chain Analyst, Buyer/Planner, Supply Manager, Procurement Manager, Inventory Manager, Purchasing Manager, Logistics Planner, Materials Manager, Plant Manager, Six Sigma Blackbelt, Operations Manager, Quality Manager, Operations Analyst, Service Manager, Business Analyst. You can always seek out employment in an entry level position while you are in class.

You must understand that this is not a fast-track plan. It will most likely take you 2-3 years of solid work experience to really reap the reward. However, if you follow this plan, you will get there.

I hope this has helped you. You can contact me if you would like to discuss this program further that we offer at University of San Francisco. You can email me at Elizabeth-Block@universityalliance.com