Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)

The Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) program is a new industry educational and certification program created to meet the rapidly changing needs of the supply chain management field.

From the manufacturing to the service industry, regardless of whether a company is serving business or consumer markets or is for profit or not-for-profit, the increasingly important role of supply chain management is affecting all organizations. Customers already expect good quality at low prices, and speed of delivery is becoming more important. As a result, effective supply chain management has become essential to successfully compete in today’s global marketplace.

The CSCP program takes a broad view of the field, extending beyond internal operations to encompass all the steps throughout the supply chain—from the supplier, through the company, to the end consumer—and provides you with the knowledge to effectively manage the integration of these activities to maximize a company’s value chain.



Benefits of the CSCP Program

After earning your CSCP designation, you will:

Learn to boost productivity, collaboration, and innovation

Discover how to positively affect lead times, inventory, productivity, and bottom-line profitability

Understand how to manage the integration and coordination of activities to achieve reduced costs and increase efficiencies and customer service

Gain the knowledge to effectively and efficiently manage worldwide supply chain activities

Achieve greater confidence and peer and industry recognition

Enjoy the potential for career advancement and increased earnings.

Who should pursue the CSCP education and designation?

The CSCP program is for professionals in operations and supply chain management. This designation is ideal for you if you are interested in more depth of knowledge and understanding in the areas of supplier and customer relations, international trade, the use of information technology to enable the supply chain, and physical logistics.

A professional who is consulting or teaching supply chain functions
Working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

The CSCP program will help you advance your career while giving you the foundation to improve your company’s competitive position and profitability.
 

CSCP Domains

The CSCP body of knowledge is made up of the following four domains:

Supply Chain Management Fundamentals
Building Competitive Operations, Planning, and Logistics
Managing Customer and Supplier Relationships
Using Information Technology to Enable Supply Chain Management

CSCP Exam Preparation

To help prepare you for the CSCP exam, APICS has developed the CSCP Learning System. Based on the CSCP body of knowledge, the learning system is a comprehensive professional development and exam preparation program. It combines print materials with interactive online tools to deliver a customized learning experience. The CSCP Learning System is currently offered as a self-study resource, but watch for upcoming details about instructor-led courses to be introduced in 2006. Visit www.apics.org/cscp for more information.

CSCP Exam

To earn the CSCP designation, an individual must pass one, four-hour comprehensive exam. The exam will consist of 175 multiple-choice questions and are delivered via paper-and-pencil.

Becoming a CSCP candidate

The CSCP examination is available to individuals who have relevant work experience and education and would like to advance their careers in this growing field by getting a broader understanding and increasing their knowledge on all the areas that make up the supply chain. APICS will start accepting CSCP candidates in 2006. To be eligible to for the CSCP exam, a candidate must meet one of the following criteria:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, plus two years of related business experience
CPIM, CFPIM, CIRM, or C.P.M. designation plus two years of related business experience
Five years of related business experience.

Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) Questions

What is the CSCP certification?
On March 8, 2005, APICS announced the creation of a new industry certification to specifically meet the rapidly changing educational needs in the field of supply chain management. The Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation is being designed for professionals interested in increasing their knowledge of supply chain management, those currently working in the field of supply chain management, and for those individuals working with enterprise resources planning systems.

Why is APICS developing a CSCP certification?

Through extensive market research, APICS uncovered a major gap in professional certifications specifically addressing the educational needs of professionals working in the field of supply chain management. APICS has the body of knowledge, the subject matter experts, the infrastructure, and holds the leadership position to develop and market the CSCP certification. With the addition of the CSCP designation, APICS enhances its validation of the disciplines within operations management, specifically production, inventory, enterprise, and now supply chain management.
When will the new CSCP designation program be available?
The CSCP learning system was launched at the 2005 APICS International Conference and Exposition, October 16-18, in Kansas City, Missouri. Demonstrations of the courses were held and course materials were available for sale. Instructor materials are scheduled for sale in the first quarter of 2006.

How will the CSCP course be delivered?

The CSCP learning system will consist of a blended learning approach. It will incorporate self-directed study courses, Web-based learning, and classroom instructor-led courses offered through the APICS network of local chapters throughout North America and through the APICS International Associates, as well as through colleges, universities, and corporations.
When will testing begin?

Testing for the new CSCP designation will begin in 2006. Information about testing sites and dates will be published as it becomes available.

What about APICS’ current certifications—CPIM and CIRM?

Candidates in both the CPIM and CIRM programs should definitely continue to pursue their certifications. The three certifications are different and concentrate on specific disciplines within operations management. There will continue to be an important market, especially for the CPIM designation. According to the Holmes Corporation, one of the primary drivers of any voluntary certification program is increased earnings for individuals or increased profits for corporations. Designations that directly assist individuals in securing employment or increasing their earnings potential, or which directly help corporations increase revenues or decrease costs are “need-to-know” designations. Holmes considers the CPIM program a need-to-know designation.
Should I continue working on the certification that I’ve already started?
Candidates in both the CPIM and CIRM programs should definitely continue to pursue their APICS certifications. The three certifications (CPIM, CIRM, and CSCP) are completely separate and distinct programs that concentrate on specific disciplines within the field of operations management.

What is the difference between the CPIM designation and the new CSCP designation?

The APICS CPIM certification provides a common platform for individuals to evaluate their knowledge of production and inventory management. CPIM focuses primarily on manufacturing and provides an in-depth view of materials management, master scheduling, production planning, forecasting, and quality improvement within the confines of the operation. Building upon the depth of the CPIM knowledge, the CSCP certification will take a broader view, extending the CPIM knowledge outside of a company’s internal operations to encompass all of the steps throughout the supply chain—from suppliers through the company to the end consumer—and how to effectively manage the integration of these activities to maximize a company’s value chain.
 

Will the current CPIM Basics of Supply Chain Management module be a pre-requisite or be a part of the new CSCP program?

The APICS CPIM Basics of Supply Chain Management module will continue to be a part of the CPIM certification program. The Basics course will not be a pre-requisite course for the new CSCP program. The APICS CPIM program is a completely separate and distinct program from the new CSCP program.

How can I find out more about the CSCP program?

APICS will continue to provide updates and greater detail on the CSCP program as it is developed via the APICS Web site www.apics.org/cscp. There, you may also join the APICS CSCP update list to receive notification regarding developments via e-mail.