Direct answer. In 2025–26, the majority of supply chain professionals investing in structured training on SCMDOJO are choosing foundational supply chain management, procurement essentials, and production & operations management. Advanced planning, S&OP, and specialised inventory topics exist in the catalog but account for a much smaller share of orders.
This is not survey data or social media sentiment. It is order behaviour from the SCMDOJO Academy between November 2021 and early October 2026. The pattern is clear enough to use for curriculum design, hiring conversations, and content planning.
How we analysed the data
We reviewed every course order recorded on the platform: order date, customer email (normalised), and product name. We matched product names to the current SCMDOJO course catalog for expert attribution and official URLs. We also cross-referenced a separate file of ebook and best-practice (tool/template) orders to see whether the same people buy both formats.
Figures below use completed orders as the unit. Free courses are included; they still represent a deliberate choice by the learner.
Top courses by orders
Three foundation-level courses account for the large majority of volume. Two of them are free; all three are rated 4.9 by learners.
Top 7 courses by total orders
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Figure 1. Order volume for the highest-ranked courses in the SCMDOJO Academy dataset (November 2021 – October 2026). Foundation courses dominate.
| Rank | Course | Expert | Level | Orders | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mastering Supply Chain Management – A Comprehensive Introduction | Paul Denneman | Foundation | 1,974 | View course |
| 2 | Mastering Procurement – Essentials Skills and Competencies Course | Maryna Trepova | Foundation | 1,964 | View course |
| 3 | Introduction to Production and Operations Management | Dr. Muddassir Ahmed | Foundation | 1,310 | View course |
| 4 | Comprehensive Insights to Leadership in Business | Alaa Elhawwari | Foundation | 201 | View course |
| 5 | A Masterclass in Professional Communication | Alaa Elhawwari | Foundation | 151 | View course |
| 6 | Sales and Operations Planning Blueprint | Dr. Muddassir Ahmed | Intermediate | 128 | View course |
| 7 | Building the Business Case for Supply Chain Technology Implementations | Dyci Sfregola | Advanced | 123 | View course |
Notes: order counts are taken from the platform order export and may differ slightly from live student counts shown on course pages. “How to Run a S&OP Process” is a legacy product title for the same course now sold as the Sales and Operations Planning Blueprint — the old link redirects to it — so orders recorded under both titles are combined into a single row (74 + 54 = 128).
Training demand by category
When we group courses by topic, procurement and broad digitalisation/AI content sit at the top, followed by production & operations. Planning & S&OP and inventory/warehouse courses are much smaller by volume.
Share of course orders by category
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Figure 2. Approximate category grouping of course orders. Procurement and digitalisation/AI content lead; planning & S&OP is the smallest major group.
The planning gap
Procurement-related courses total roughly 2,786 orders. Planning & S&OP courses total around 174. That is not a criticism of planning — it is a signal that most professionals who invest in structured training are still building core commercial and operational foundations rather than advanced planning capability. Teams that already have those foundations can differentiate by investing in S&OP and demand forecasting depth.
Growth 2022–2026
Demand for structured supply chain training on the platform has risen sharply.
Course orders by year
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Figure 3. Annual course orders. *2026 figure is through early October only.
The jump from 2024 to 2025 is the largest absolute increase in the dataset. Through early October 2026 the platform has already recorded 2,780 course orders — on track to exceed or approach the 2025 total by year-end if the second-half pattern holds.
When people learn
Across all years, September is the highest-volume month (1,060 course orders), followed by July (902) and August (880). January and February are also strong. April–June is the quietest period.
For organisations planning internal academies or external training budgets, the data suggests September and the July–August window are natural moments when professionals are actively looking for supply chain courses.
What this means for teams and individuals
For individuals
If you are early in your career or moving into a new function, the highest-demand starting points are the foundation courses in supply chain management and procurement. Communication and leadership courses are the next logical step once the core is in place.
For learning & development leads
Most of your population will still need core SCM and procurement literacy. A smaller group will be ready for intermediate content such as the S&OP Blueprint or AI decision-execution modules. Design pathways, not a single mandatory course.
For hiring managers
Candidates who have completed structured procurement or production & operations training are easier to find than those with formal S&OP or demand forecasting credentials. Treat planning depth as a differentiator rather than a baseline expectation.
For content and product teams
Tools and templates (inventory optimisation, KPI dashboards, excess & obsolete policy) attract steady demand even when course volume in the same topic is lower. Pair a short course with a usable template where the topic is specialised.
Courses and tools serve different needs
In a separate analysis of 1,283 ebook and best-practice orders, tools and templates (702 orders) slightly outnumbered pure ebooks (581). Only 139 customers appear in both the course file and the ebook/guide file. Most learners treat courses and downloadable tools as separate decisions.
Highest-volume best practices include the Excess and Obsolete Inventory Policy Guide, Inventory Optimization Tool in Excel, and Logistics KPI Dashboard Excel Template. Highest-volume books include The Most Complete Supply Chain Terms and Glossary, Artificial Intelligence in Procurement volumes, and Demand Forecasting Methods – The Ultimate Guide.
Limitations
- Orders reflect choices on one platform (SCMDOJO), not the entire global training market.
- Free courses inflate volume relative to paid intermediate courses; both are included because both represent intentional learner decisions.
- Category groupings are based on product name keywords and may not match every internal taxonomy.
- 2026 data is partial (through early October).
People also ask
What are supply chain professionals learning in 2025 and 2026?
Based on 8,220 course orders from 5,281 professionals on SCMDOJO, the top topics are foundational supply chain management, procurement essentials, and production & operations management. Leadership and AI-related courses are growing, while advanced planning and S&OP topics remain smaller by volume.
What is the most popular supply chain course right now?
Mastering Supply Chain Management – A Comprehensive Introduction (taught by Paul Denneman) leads with 1,974 orders, closely followed by Mastering Procurement – Essentials Skills and Competencies Course (Maryna Trepova) with 1,964 orders.
Is procurement training more popular than supply chain planning training?
Yes. Procurement-related courses account for roughly 2,786 orders, while Planning & S&OP courses total around 174 orders. Foundational SCM and production courses also far outpace specialised planning content.
How fast is demand for supply chain training growing?
Course orders on SCMDOJO grew from 159 in 2022 to 407 in 2023, 1,179 in 2024, and 3,692 in 2025. Through October 2026, 2,780 orders have already been recorded.
What supply chain skills are in highest demand for 2025-26?
The highest-volume skills are core supply chain concepts, procurement competencies, and production & operations management. Communication, leadership, and AI-driven decision execution are emerging secondary priorities.
About the author
Dr. Muddassir Ahmed is Founder and CEO of SCMDOJO. He is a globally recognised supply chain expert, thought leader and keynote speaker. He has built one of the world’s leading platforms for supply chain professionals — practical tools, structured learning and expert insight.
With over 19 years of leadership across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, he has held roles at Bridgestone, Doncasters Group, Eaton and Volvo Cars. He is recognised among the Top 10 Supply Chain Influencers in the World by Supply Chain Digital. PhD in Management Science, Lancaster University Management School. Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
