A supply chain depicted as a complex and dynamic supply and demand network. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0

Certification is a huge advantage to those in the supply chain industry and can positively impact one’s career trajectory. Earning a certification can increase your hiring and earning potential by expanding your professional knowledge and skills in supply chain management and demonstrating your capability to analyze, design and implement change across global supply chain activities.

Certifications are increasingly becoming a prerequisite in supply chain careers, but how does one select the appropriate program from the seemingly bewildering buffet of alphabet soup offerings? Here’s a rundown of the scope and merits of the most well-known programs. Pursue the appropriate program based both on what you’re doing now, and what you hope to be doing later in your career.

Certified Supply Chain Professional

The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS), with 45,000 members and nearly 300 channel partners that connect with members in over 100 countries, sells course materials and offers online or in-person courses for its Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) program. Since its launch in 2006, more than 21,000 professionals have earned the CSCP designation.

This training demonstrates your knowledge and organizational skills by enhancing expertise in Supply Chain Management practices, and provides an in-depth understanding of how supply chain is integrated in areas of planning, manufacturing and delivering the product.

According to the organization, individuals with a CSCP certification earn an average of 21 percent more than their CSCP-free peers, while 62.6 percent of certified supply chain professionals think their certification had a “positive impact on their hiring potential.”

Eligibility requirements include a Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent, 3 years of relative business experience along with other ISM or APICS certification.

Certified in Production and Inventory Management

The APICS also offers a Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) program focused on internal supply chain business operations.

No bachelor’s degree is required, and you need only two or more years of experience in the field. The training is designed to impart a solid grounding in the terminology and thought processes involved in production and inventory management. On average, designees realize a 10 percent increase in salary along with a 65 percent increase in hiring potential.

Course modules cover basics of supply chain management, master planning of resources, detailed scheduling and planning, execution and control of operations, and strategic management of resources.

Certified Professional in Supply Management

This certification from the Institute of Supply Management has a strong focus on procurement. Completing the training confirms that you have the attributes required to deal with finance, risk management and supplier relationship management. Professionals who obtain their Certified Professional in Supply Management earn on average 9 percent more than their peers.

Three exams cover foundations of supply management, effective supply management, and leadership in supply management. Pre-requisites: a Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent with 3 years of full-time supply management experience or a qualified Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of full-time supply management experience.

The SCPro™ Certification

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals offers the SCPro three-level certification program. The course, launched in 2012, emphasizes logistics and distribution but does cover a broad view of the supply chain field, covering the supply chain end-to-end. This certification is geared toward those involved in project management and problem solving, and it uses case studies as well as hands-on performance improvement projects as part of the curriculum.

Eligibility requirements for the three-tiered program:

• Level One: Four-year degree or higher from an accredited University or college OR four years of relevant supply chain management experience
• Level Two: Current SCPro™ Level One certification PLUS a four-year degree and three years of relevant supply chain experience OR seven years of relevant supply chain experience
• Level Three: Current SCPro™ Level Two certification PLUS a four-year degree and five years of relevant experience OR nine years of relevant supply chain experience

These certification initiatives help professionals achieve new levels of specialization and expertise, favorably impact hiring decisions, and elevate the participant as an expert in focused areas of the supply chain.