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The Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
certification is a relatively new industry educational program designed to meet
new challenges in the field of supply chain. Last week, I was fortunate to
interview Jerry Kukuruda, who is this years President of APICS Wichita
Chapter. He is one of the first professionals who have seized the opportunity
by taking the CSCP exam for further advancement in his profession. I asked
several questions related to his experience preparing and taking the CSCP exam.
When did you take the exam for CSCP?
Jerry: I completed the exam on March
11, 2006 and passed on the first attempt.
How do you find the level of difficulty
with the materials for taking exam?
Jerry: If a person has taken the CPIM
(Certified in Production and Inventory Management) education, then it will be a
little easier to prepare for CSCP exams. I found three modules out of five more
difficult, because the material was up-to-date. The new material consisted of,
Managing Customer and Supplier relationships and using information technology to
enable supply chain management. The Customer and Supplier relationship material
are new areas of study with APICS certification programs and that’s why it took
additional study time to understand the materials related to these two topics.
How much time do you think is required to
prepare for exams?
Jerry: 100 hours or so to read and
study the 800 pages of material. I would recommend taking classes for preparing
exams; Southwestern College is presently having classes to assist professionals
to prepare for exams beginning in September.
Do you think that APICS certification
material is useful for industry professional?
Jerry: In my view, APICS material helps
us understand the basics of supply chain and develop a common language to
communicate with our peers. You will learn the key terms used in the industry
and it also helps on a resume when applying for a job. Fresh graduates can boost
their resume by taking APICS certification exams; it will help them get their
resumes to the top of the pile.
Where do you find materials for preparing
CSCP exams?
Jerry: Online materials can be found at
APICS.org and there are practice tests available to see how well you know the
new material. I recommend students and professionals to take the online sample
test; it will reflect how well you may do on the exam.
Did you find any difficulty with
registration or taking CSCP exams?
Jerry: Testing centers are far away and
I had to drive to Houston to take the test. I would say that it would be nice if
we can take this test in our own city’s testing centers. When there are enough
people wanting to take the test in our city, APICS will conduct the test in
Wichita.
Thank you Jerry for taking time to share your
experience with us and I hope that our readers find it informative and will be
interested in pursuing the CSCP certification. |
