APICS is the global leader and premier cause of knowledge in supply chain and operations management, including production, inventory, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) provides you the ability to understand and assess production and inventory activities in a company’s global operations.
CPIM is favored by businesses around the world. The APICS CPIM is perceived all around as the norm of expert capability. It helps to increment useful information on creation and stock administration, improve inward tasks and increment consumer loyalty. Through the CPIM arrangement and test process, you will pick up information, learn aptitudes and best practices required to execute, control and improve inner activities inside the four dividers of your organization.
A Long History of APICS CPIM Certification
There are several different certification fields and levels available for a supply chain professional to investigate. Over the last six decades, the APICS CPIM program has evolved from a supply chain and inventory management educational and training curriculum into a global resource for much more. Supply chain professionals worldwide know and trust APICS certification and the knowledge and skills APICS certified professionals give.
In 2018, APICS, originally known as the American Production and Inventory Control Society, became a member of the Association of Supply Chain Management, or ASCM. This created international training, education, certification, and collaborative organization around supply chain, production, inventory, transportation, information systems, and a dozen other disciplines. By integrating the various components included in manufacturing globally, APICS CPIM has become the international standard.
The continually growing world of Supply Chain management and operations needs a level of training and education that can keep up with everything as it grows. That practice and learning can only be found within Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM).
The actual benefits of CPIM certification are the value they bring to a professional resume in terms of employment opportunities. During times of increasing international protocols, supply routes, vendors, and other considerations, CPIM certification is more valuable than ever.
CPIM Certification Breakdown
The different areas of training and education within CPIM certification deserve a deeper dive:
- Production and Inventory Management: Tracking incoming and outgoing materials is key to maintaining a smooth-running manufacturing plant. Keeping what is needed is a critical function that demands the latest systems, data, and protocols.
- Operations: Budgeting, human resources, training programs, and a plethora of other critical daily processes and functions is what keeps everyone employed and prosperous every day. Training in operations management gives a comprehensive background in essential business functions and activities.
- Supply Chain Management: Some professionals equate supply chain management with herding cats. It is a constantly changing, problem-solving environment responsible for acquiring production materials to keep the production floor busy.
- Procurement: The need for raw materials demands diligent oversight of suppliers and the systems that bring materials into the factory. In a global market, the requirement to identify, maintain, and manage relationships with key vendors has never been more critical.
- Materials Management: The ability to meet engineering and manufacturing models is vital to any production environment. Inventory management is much more than putting parts and pieces on the counter waiting to go into production. Maintaining quality control protocols throughout the acquisition, display, and delivery process is always the number one priority for materials managers.
- Forecasting and Planning: If you have a crystal ball that tells the future, this is the position for you. The ability to understand production demands, transportation elements, regulatory considerations, and several other factors are part and parcel of determining when to acquire it and how to fit it into the puzzle known as production schedule.
- Finance and Cost Accounting: What to pay, actual costs, and managing the funds and capital to keep a manufacturing plant operating is not like running the family budget. Listening to capital, purchasing cycles, inventory control protocols, and dozens of other cost-related problems fall to professionals who can track the money through every step.
- Manufacturing Information Systems: This would probably be considered the “heart” of Supply Chain Management today. Without computers, the internet, and all the great applications available to a supply chain professional today have developed the universe of supply, inventory, production, and delivery systems to a whole new level. Nothing waits for the same in the computer world, and keeping up with the changes improves the value of every IT and MIS pro.
Pros Recognize the Value of APICS CPIM Certification
Education regularly costs money. The real question is whether the educational certificate will make more income and opportunities for a professional. The training and education given by the educators at ASCM is only the start of the return on the investment. Ongoing educational programs, association with other professionals, seminars on the latest developments, and many more perks await certified professionals.
Around the world, over 45,000 Supply Chain Management leaders benefit from the training, tools, and support ASCM offers every day. Not only do they receive better coverage from employers, but they also enjoy a higher level of respect among their peers and associates. All of it provides toward the value created by being an APICS CPIM certified professional.
To Sum-up
Supply chain technology is improving every day, opening up more career opportunities than ever before. Get started by taking your APICS certification that will give employers what you are capable of.