If you’re a supply chain management professional, you’re probably aware of how important it is to continuously improve your skills and knowledge in this field. With the ever-evolving business landscape, staying current on the latest industry trends and best practices is crucial for your success. Fortunately, there are numerous courses available to help you develop your expertise in supply chain management, regardless of your level of experience. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the top 10 supply chain management courses that can take your career to the next level.
At a Glance:
- We’ll be discussing some of the best supply chain management online courses from around the world from some of the most renowned platforms in education and supply chain, including SCMDOJO, CIPS, Coursera, MITx etc.
- Highlight course offerings including the pros and cons of each mentioned course/program.
- Ratings of each course will also be included.
List of Top 10 Supply Chain Management Courses Online
- ‘Supply Chain Principles’ by Coursera
- ‘How to Run a S&OP Process – Benefits, Process Steps & Overcome Barriers’ by SCMDOJO
- ‘Supply Chain Design’ by MITx
- ‘Excel Supply Chain Analysis: Solving Inventory Problems’ by LinkedIn Learning
- ‘Warehouse Management in Logistics & Supply Chain Management’ by Udemy
- ‘Understanding Supply Chain Ecosystems’ by Alison
- ‘Introducing Procurement and Supply (CORE)’ by CIPS
- ‘Cognitive Procurement Specialization Program (CPSP)’ by SIG University Certification
- ‘Supply Risk and Sustainability Management’ by NLPA
- ’Supply Chain Innovation: How Technology Can Create a Sustainable Future’ by FutureLearn
‘Introducing Procurement and Supply (CORE)’ by CIPS
This eLearning course is designed to help you gain a foundational understanding of procurement and supply management. It covers the basics of procurement, including procurement strategies, contract management, and supplier selection. You’ll also learn about supply chain management and the various stages of the procurement process. The course is designed to be interactive, engaging, and easy to follow.
Pros:
- It forms part of the CIPS Level 2 Certificate in Procurement and Supply Operations qualification.
- Provides a solid foundation in the core principles of procurement and supply management.
- Track your progress as you work through the learning outcomes.
- Fresh, easy to digest format.
- Cost effective study support.
Cons:
- Not as comprehensive as some other procurement and supply management courses.
- This course isn’t as advanced for experienced professionals.
Rating:
Not provided.
‘How to Run a S&OP Process – Benefits, Process Steps & Overcome Barriers’ by SCMDOJO
Through this S&OP course, you will:
- Discover in detail how to use the five-step S&OP process
- Use an S&OP Process self-assessment document and hands-on approach that emphasizes simulated problem solving and team collaboration
- Develop S&OP meeting agendas, participant list, RACI Matrix and direction of how to conduct S&OP meetings
- Reach a successful S&OP process output that can be used to drive marketing, sales, and operations until the next S&OP meeting
With this sales and operations planning course, you will acquire a basket of practical tools to make their S&OP process work more smoothly, enhance forecast accuracy, increase productivity, and reduce operational costs.
Pros:
- Utilizes a hands-on approach with simulated problem-solving and team collaboration
- Offers a self-assessment document to assess your own S&OP process
- Keep track of how well you’re doing while you complete the learning goals.
- The information is presented in a simple and understandable way.
- Affordable assistance for studying.
Cons:
- The course material may not be suitable for beginners.
Rating:
This course is rated 5 out of 5.
We also offer other additional courses taught by qualified experts that focus on trending and current topics such as how to handle a business case and modern warehousing.
‘Supply Chain Principles’ by Coursera
Coursera’s ‘Supply Chain Principles’ course is designed to provide you with a solid understanding of what a supply chain is all about. The course leverages graphics to promote the Integrated Supply Chain model, emphasizing the Extended Supply Chain. It presents a holistic approach incorporating People, Process, and Technology and calls-out industry-specific supply chains. The course consists of discussions, videos, quizzes, and questions for consideration, and provides awareness of career path opportunities. It also discusses emerging and futuristic trends in supply chain. What’s more, there is very little math involved in this course, so you don’t have to worry about your math skills.
Pros:
- Provides an introduction to the basic concepts of supply chain management
- Utilizes graphics to aid in understanding the concepts
- Emphasizes the importance of an integrated and extended supply chain model
- Covers industry-specific supply chain
- Offers awareness of career path opportunities
- Presents emerging and futuristic trends in supply chain
Cons:
- Very little math is involved, so it may not be suitable for those who want a more quantitative approach to supply chain management
- The course may not provide as much hands-on experience as other courses, which could be a drawback for some learners
Rating:
This course is rated 4.6 out of 5.
‘Supply Chain Design’ by MITx
MITx’s ‘Supply Chain Design’ course covers all aspects involved in the design of supply chains for companies and organizations anywhere in the world. The course is divided into four main topic areas: Physical flow design, Supply chain finance, Information flow design, and Organization/Process design. In the design of physical flows, the course shows how to formulate and solve Transportation, Transshipment, Facility Location, and Network Design Problems. For financial flows, the course shows how to translate supply chain concepts and actions into the language of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a company. The course covers Activity Based Costing, Working Capital, the Cash-to-Cash cycle, and Discounted Cash Flow Analysis. The design of the information flow section describes how firms communicate with suppliers (procurement, risk contracts), internal resources (production planning, bills of materials, material requirements planning), and customers (Sales & Operations Planning and other collaboration based processes). In the last section, the course introduces performance metric design and organizational design within the supply chain organization, focusing mainly on the centralize/decentralize decision.
Pros:
- Accredited by MITx, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world
- Course material covers a broad range of topics, making it a comprehensive program
- Instructors are highly qualified and experienced in the field of supply chain management
Cons:
- The course is quite intensive and may require a significant time commitment
- The cost of the course is relatively high compared to other options on this list
Rating:
Not provided.
‘Excel Supply Chain Analysis: Solving Inventory Problems’ by LinkedIn Learning
Excel is a powerful tool that can be utilized to help analyze inventory costs and develop effective inventory policies. In this course, Excel pro Curt Frye demonstrates how to calculate total costs and total relevant costs for a product, and how to incorporate the effects of lead time into analysis. He covers how to evaluate quantity discounts, and how to calculate production quantities to maximize profit. Curt goes into detail on how back orders affect inventory policies and how to calculate the economic order quantity for inventory policies that allow back orders. He introduces you to difficulties associated with goods that have a limited lifespan, often called the newsvendor problem, then shows you how to generate the data and summaries required to solve it. In conclusion, Curt walks you through how to calculate the base stock level for a target level of service and how to calculate a reorder point based on cycle service level performance.
Pros:
- Comprehensive guide to using Excel for supply chain analysis
- Teaches various inventory management techniques
- Detailed explanation of how to calculate economic order quantity and reorder points
- Covers the newsvendor problem and how to solve it using Excel
- Instructor is an Excel expert
Cons:
- Requires a basic understanding of Excel and inventory management principles
- Limited to Excel-based solutions and doesn’t cover other inventory management software
Rating:
This course is rated 4.7 out of 5.
‘Warehouse Management in Logistics & Supply Chain Management’ by Udemy
Warehouse management is a crucial aspect of logistics and supply chain management. This course covers the role of the warehouse, types of warehouse operations, warehouse location, and specialized warehousing. It delves into the various warehouse processes, including receiving and put-away, pick preparation, picking strategies and equipment, storage equipment, and order-picking methods. The course also covers warehouse processes from replenishment to despatch and beyond, warehouse management systems, warehouse layout, storage and handling equipment, outsourcing a warehouse, performance management, and inventory classification.
Pros:
- Comprehensive guide to warehouse management in supply chain and logistics
- Covers a wide range of topics, from warehouse processes to inventory classification
- Instructor is knowledgeable about the subject matter
- Course is accessible to beginners
Cons:
- May not be suitable for individuals seeking in-depth knowledge of specific warehouse operations
- Limited to warehouse management and doesn’t cover other aspects of supply chain and logistics
Rating:
This course is rated 4.4 out of 5.
‘Understanding Supply Chain Ecosystems’ by Alison
This free online course offered by Alison provides a comprehensive understanding of the various components of the supply chain ecosystem, including suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers. You’ll learn about the different types of supply chain networks, including global networks, as well as the role of information technology in supply chain management. By the end of the course, you’ll have a solid understanding of how supply chains work, the challenges they face, and how they can be managed effectively.
Pros:
- Completely free, with no hidden costs or fees.
- Self-paced learning allows you to complete the course at your own convenience.
- Covers a wide range of topics related to supply chain management.
- Provides an introduction to the latest technologies and trends in the industry.
Cons:
- The course is not as detailed or in-depth as other paid courses on the market.
- Limited interactivity and engagement compared to some other courses.
Rating:
Not provided.
‘Cognitive Procurement Specialization Program (CPSP)’ by SIG University Certification
This course offers comprehensive training on Cognitive Procurement technology and its application in procurement processes. Participants will gain knowledge on the latest procurement technologies and their implementation in organizational processes. The curriculum includes best practices for implementing cognitive procurement, strategies to overcome challenges, and the benefits of leveraging cognitive procurement to enhance procurement outcomes. The course is tailored for procurement leaders and aspiring practitioners, equipping them with the skills to spearhead the creation of a modern procurement organization.
Pros:
- The course is designed by experts from Zycus, a global leader in Cognitive Procurement software solutions.
- The course is self-paced, so participants can complete it at their own pace.
- The course provides experiential demos and case studies to help participants gain a deeper understanding of cognitive procurement.
Cons:
- The course is focused on Cognitive Procurement technology, so it may not be suitable for those looking for a more general supply chain management course.
- The course is designed for procurement leaders and aspiring practitioners, so it may not be suitable for those in other roles.
Rating:
Not provided.
‘Supply Risk and Sustainability Management’ by NLPA
In the NLPA’s “Supply Risk and Sustainability Management” course, participants will receive comprehensive training on supply disruption management. They will learn about the various tools, systems, and skills required to deploy effective countermeasures in the face of supply disruption. The course will cover how to evaluate the impacts of disruption on the total cost of ownership and total cost to serve, as well as strategies for developing supply risk and sustainability management plans. Participants will also gain insight into leveraging change management and transformative tools to realize risk, resilience, and supply sustainability management goals. Additionally, the course will provide guidance on how to anticipate, respond to, and recover from supply disruption.
Pros:
- The course provides essential skills and tools for supply chain professionals to manage risks and ensure business continuity.
- The course is self-paced, so participants can complete it at their own pace.
- The course has been pre-approved for 8 hours of CE credit.
- The course covers a wide range of topics related to supply chain risk and sustainability management.
Cons:
- The course is entirely self-paced and does not offer any instructor-led forum, so participants may not have an opportunity to ask questions or engage with peers.
- You have to complete the course within 60 days and cannot take longer.
Rating:
Not provided.
’Supply Chain Innovation: How Technology Can Create a Sustainable Future’ by FutureLearn
This six-week course is offered by FutureLearn, an online learning platform that partners with top universities and organizations worldwide. The course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the importance of managing supply chains, the challenges faced, and how technology can create sustainable supply chain innovations. It covers the following topics:
- The basics of supply chain management
- The impact of technology on supply chains
- How to create sustainable supply chain innovations
- The role of supply chain in sustainability
- Best practices for managing supply chain risks and disruptions
Pros:
- Self-paced learning, allowing you to complete the course at your own pace
- Providing real-world insights and practical knowledge
- Affordable course fee
Cons:
- Not for experienced individuals as it is very beginner friendly and not as advanced.
Rating:
This course is rated 4.8 out of 5.
Supply Chain Courses – A Continuous Journey of Quality Learning
In conclusion, investing in a supply chain management course can significantly enhance your career prospects. These top 10 courses cover a range of topics from cognitive procurement technology to effective supply disruption management and logistics, transportation, and distribution. Each course is accredited by a reputable institution and offers certification upon completion. Moreover, these courses are self-paced, allowing participants to learn at their own pace and convenience. While each course has its unique pros and cons, they all aim to equip aspiring practitioners and procurement leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the fast-paced world of supply chain management. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your career, there is a supply chain management course that can help you take your career to the next level. So keep learning!
