A third professional development option is customized training. A number of universities will work with your organization to create tailored educational programs ranging from a few days to multiple weeks. Typically, the faculty will help you diagnose your team’s level of supply chain expertise and create industry-specific content to address development needs.
Of course, these programs are more expensive than general management development courses, but the customized content drives the value of the investment. This is particularly true when you can spread the cost across a large number of participants.
Custom learning initiatives are a notable strength of Penn State University’s Executive Programs and the Center for Supply Chain Research. These learning initiatives are designed to meet the supply chain needs of corporate clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to mid-sized enterprises.
“We develop two- and three-day courses for clients,” notes Chris Norek, a Penn State Executive Program faculty member, who says specific topics most relevant to a company can be incorporated into the training, ranging “from supply chain strategy formulation to individual topics like procurement and transportation.”
Certificates & Certification
Another opportunity to advance your knowledge is through structured education programs. These certification programs validate supply chain knowledge with required assignments and formal testing.
A certificate program can take many forms. The simplest concept is to register for the program, take a series of courses, and complete the required activities. You receive a certificate of completion for doing the coursework. Often this involves the learner traveling to campus multiple times to participate in a series of three- or four-day courses.
The in-person learning environment allows participants to network and engage in lively discussion, but does involve time away from work and travel expenses on top of registration fees.
An alternative has been developed by the Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The CTL’s three-course certificate series leverages massive open online course technology to deliver content to participants around the world. Each course is 10 to 12 weeks in length and combines videos, practices problems, graded assignments, and discussion rooms to promote interaction.
Courses include “Supply Chain and Logistics Fundamentals,” “Supply Chain Design,” and “Supply Chain Strategy.” There is a nominal program registration fee and a $100 charge for each course.
“We’ve designed each of the three courses to cover the breadth of supply chain management rather than focus on just one function at a time. This is a more integrated approach, and stresses the connections and interactions between the players and functions within a supply chain,” explains Chris Caplice, CTL’s executive director.
