The Association for Supply Chain Management in May launched a technology certificate for supply chain professionals to gain basic understanding of emerging technologies.
As supply chains leverage technology to improve efficiency across various processes, companies need to think about the workers who use the technology, ASCM CEO Abe Eshkenazi told Supply Chain Dive in an interview.
"When you take a look at the challenges that organizations are facing [in] data between risks, resiliency and sustainability, these are all enabled through technology," Eshkenazi said.
The ASCM Supply Chain Technology certificate will cover the following six topics:
- Blockchain
- Advanced analytics and automation
- The internet of things
- Cybersecurity
- Demand planning technologies
- 3D printing
The certificate is designed for early to mid-level professionals, and requires a total of 20 hours of learning with a final exam at the end, according to a press release.
This is the fourth certificate offered by the organization. ASCM also offers other certificates in warehousing and planning, as well as credentials like the SCOR Professional Endorsement.
Eshkenazi said the new course is meant to give professionals fundamental knowledge of trends like big data and analytics, digital supply chains and artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He added in past surveys ASCM has conducted, technology investment has been near the top of an organization's spend.
"The question is, are we prepared as an industry and as a workforce to develop not only the visual supply chains, but the technology and the underlaying of the capability of individuals," he added.
