SPSM Certification vs CPIM Certification
I receive questions once in a while asking about the difference between the SPSM Certification and the CPIM certification.
The comparison is actually pretty simple.
The SPSM stands for "Senior Professional in Supply Management" and it is awarded by Next Level Purchasing. So it is an appropriate certification for individuals in the field of purchasing and supply management: purchasing managers, buyers, procurement specialists, supply chain managers, contracting agents, sourcing representatives, etc.
The CPIM stands for "Certified in Production and Inventory Management" and it is awarded by the American Production and Inventory Control Society. So it is an appropriate certification for individuals in the field of production and inventory management: production schedulers, inventory analysts, etc.
These are two very different certifications for two different types of jobs.
Still not sure what certification is right for you? Contact us with your job title, job duties, and professional goals and we'll help you.
To Your Career,
Charles Dominick, SPSM
President
Next Level Purchasing, Inc.
Struggling To Have A Rewarding Purchasing Career?
Earn Your SPSM Certification Online At
http://www.NextLevelPurchasing.com
posted by Charles Dominick, SPSM @ 7:49 AM
7 comments
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7 Comments:
want to know more about SPSM and CPIM contents and whom should be the contact person in INDIA?
Lee,
Thank you for stopping by. Our contact person would be Kara Uhrlen - kara.uhrlen@nextlevelpurchasing.com. She is based here in the USA, but she handles inquiries from India and other countries throughout the world.
I am a current MBA student in UK. I want to build my career in Supply Chain after completing my MBA, but I have no prior experience in this field. I have a prior 5 years experience in IT consulting. I came across the CPIM certification and your website. Can you please let me know if this certification is suitable for me? Do I need to have a prior experience in this field to pass the exam or be more successful?
Thank you for your comment, Leo.
Obviously, I feel that the SPSM Certification is superior to the CPIM. So consider that as you read my answer.
Again, it depends on what part of the supply chain you want to concentrate on. If you want to be an expert at the procurement piece of the supply chain - negotiating, managing supplier performance, sourcing/tenders/RFP's, etc. - then the SPSM would be better for you. If you prefer to focus on the production and inventory side of the supply chain, the CPIM may be a better fit.
Thanks Charles from the prompt response. Coming from an IT background, I would like to concentrate on the e-Commerce, e-Procurement and e-Business side of the supply chain. I wish to work on the Supply Chain IT products for Order, Inventory & Warehouse Management. Hence, I needed your views on how easy it would be for me to enter into this area.
Thank you for the clarification, Leo.
The SPSM certainly does address technology in our offerings, specifically in "14 Purchasing Best Practices" (http://www.NextLevelPurchasing.com/classes14.html) where you have to do hands-on exercises in simulated eProcurement and eSourcing environments.
The SPSM does not cover warehousing and inventory technologies, but I'm not sure that the CPIM goes into too much depth on the technology side compared to what they cover on the theory side.
It almost sounds as if you could benefit from both certifications if you are looking at a position in IT that covers both aspects of supply chain.
Thanks for the clarification. It was very helpful.
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