5 Supply Chain Management Certifications

Want to demonstrate your supply chain prowess or get the added credibility that comes from a third-party sanction? Perhaps you could benefit from obtaining a supply chain management certification. Here are five such certifications. There are many others beyond these, but they’re a good starting point. I’ll include the main focus of study for each one, the costs involved, and the length of time that they are active for. Then you can decide which one might be in your best interest to pursue.

Certified Supply Chain Professional

APICS offers the CSCP. The test to obtain this certification focuses on supply chain design, planning and execution, and improvements and best practices. It costs either $695 or $915 to obtain and it is good for five years.

Certified in Logistics, Transportation, and Distribution

The CLTD is also available through APICS, and it is much more extensive than the CSCP. Its test focuses on eight areas:

• Logistics and supply chain overview
• Capacity planning and demand management
• Order management
• Inventory and warehouse management
• Transportation
• Global logistics considerations
• Logistics network design
• Reverse logistics and sustainability

The certification costs either $475 or $525, depending on the status of the test taker, and it must be renewed once every five years.

Certified in Production and Inventory Management

APICS offers quite a few certifications, doesn’t it? The CPIM consists of five different exams, each one focusing on a different area of inventory management:

• Basics of supply chain management
• Master planning of resources
• Detailed scheduling and planning
• Execution and control of operations
• Strategic management of resources

The cost is $190 or $290, and (as usual) the certification lasts for five years when completed.

Certified Professional in Supply Management

The Institute for Supply Management offers the CPSM. To get it you’ll have to pass three tests, which focus on:

• Foundation of supply management
• Effective supply management
• Leadership in supply management

Each test costs $199 or $329, and this certification is good for a total of three years.

SCPro

This certification is through the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and there are three levels to it that you can reach:

• Cornerstones of supply chain management
• Analysis and application of supply chain challenges
• Initiation of supply chain transformation

The first level’s test costs $975 or $650 and the second level costs $1,500 or $1,095. The third level is free and is obtained through on-the-job experience. Each level’s certification lasts for three years.