Supply Chain Training

What is a Supply Chain?

Supply chains are systems that involve the process of transferring products or services from various suppliers to consumers. There are three parts to a supply chain - the suppliers, the manufactures and the retailers. Supply chains are extremely common and are used in a variety of industries to produce and distribute different materials or resources to customers. Making sure that a supply chain is properly managed is extremely important because a poorly operating supply chain can lead to higher costs and a slower production cycle.

At their core, every link in the supply chain is designed with the same ultimate purpose in mind: the creation of value leading to an overall competitive advantage. While no two supply chains will look exactly the same, all supply chain professionals are working towards this same value creation goal. This is the case whether through developing an appropriate and competitive strategy, building customer relationships, handling external logistics and transport, or managing inventory and storage of goods. The top supply chain training courses above train individuals for different roles within this system.

Top Supply Chain Training Courses

There are a number of top supply chain training courses available that focus on the different roles needed for a functioning and successful supply chain. Many of the courses offered focus on supply chain management as a whole and cover the various aspects that go into this such as the activities, roles, outcomes and interactions involved. A majority of these courses are designed for professionals already working in a supply chain who are looking to develop professionally within the industry.

Some of the topics covered in these courses include: 

• Planning (supply/demand) 
• Procurement
• Order management
• Purchasing management
• Contracting and Sub-Contracting
• Logistics
• Finance for supply management
• Tax and Legal for supply management
• Inventory
• Strategic cost management
• Making the supply chain customer focused
• Industry-specific best practices
• Shipping
• Warehousing

There are specific supply chain training courses available for professionals who deal with global supply chain management. Different from domestic supply chain, professionals in this industry need to handle exporting and importing good, global trading, working with foreign governments, and many other complicated matters. 

Formats of Supply Chain Training

Top supply chain training courses are available in multiple formats. There are a wide array of public courses that are offered in various locations around the U.S and in countries abroad. These courses are typically delivered in a traditional classroom environment and are great for individuals who want hands-on learning. There are also providers who offer onsite/company specific courses for companies who want to train multiple employees at one time.

There are some supply chain training courses that are available in an online format as well. E-learning classes can be very beneficial for professionals who work a full-time because they have the option to participate and review course material when it best suits their schedule.