BECOME A CERTIFIED SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYST TO DRIVE PROFITS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of the supply chain to an organisation’s success and profitability. According to SAPICS (The Professional Body for Supply Chain Management in Southern Africa), supply chain skills and knowledge are essential not just for supply chain managers but for many other areas of the business.

To meet this need, SAPICS is promoting an entry level supply chain training programme. The Certified Supply Chain Analyst (CSCA) is an internationally recognised qualification from ISCEA (The International Supply Chain Education Alliance). It has been designed for those who are new to supply chain management, anyone who has moved into a new role involving supply chain management, or anyone who would like to expand their knowledge of this important skill.

“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

“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 which leads to an internationally recognised CSCA certification from ISCEA,” 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 reveals. “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 this month (February), starting with the first of five half-day workshops on 21 February 2023.

The CSCA has been commended by graduates. Renier Van Rooyen, supply chain management accountant at PEP Stores 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.

For more information or to book your place, contact SAPICS by calling +27 (0)11 023 6701 or email info@sapics.org.za