APICS Certifications Professional Advancement through Education

APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management. APICS’ certification programs are recognized worldwide as the standard of professional competence in production and inventory management and enterprise resources management. On March 8, 2005, APICS announced the expansion of its certification programs with the development of the new industry certification—APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation. With the addition of the CSCP designation, APICS enhances its validation of the disciplines within operations management, specifically production, inventory, and supply chain management, and the integration of operations within the enterprise.

The APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (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 on the depth of the CPIM knowledge, the CSCP certification will take a broader view, extending the CPIM knowledge outside a company’s internal operations to encompass all 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.