Many manufacturing professionals who are looking for a promotion or new job often find themselves asking, will obtaining a APICS certification improve my career prospects?
Many professionals believe that companies place value on the APICS certification because it provides third-party validation that their knowledge and skills extend past on-the-job experience and a college education. As a result, thousands of supply chain and operations professionals across the country are enrolling in courses to pursue APICS certification.
3 Ways an APICS Certification Can Help Your Manufacturing Career
1. Certification Makes Your Resume Look More Impressive
As some manufacturing sectors start to pick up steam again, hiring prospects are improving for candidates. However, much of the current demand is for skilled manufacturing workers. A 2012 study by the California State University at East Bay, found that between 2006 and 2011 there was a 13.7 percent increase in upper-level transportation, logistics and distribution management jobs and a 10.2 percent increase in mid-level sourcing, procurement and supply management positions.
2. On Average, APICS-certified Professionals Earn Higher Salaries
Beyond making your resume more attractive, there’s a good chance that certification will help you command a higher salary in your career. According to an APICS-commissioned study on the impact that certification has on earning potential, APICS-certified individuals can expect to earn between 14 and 20 percent more than similarly qualified peers.
In some instances, just enrolling the APICS coursework can improve your earning potential. Melissa Lee — a production planner at a composites company in Orange County, CA — received a 10 percent pay increase just for studying for her CPIM certification. After passing three of the five required exams, Lee’s managers noticed an increase in her efficiency and output and rewarded her accordingly.
3. APICS Certification Offers Multiple Paths to Career Fulfillment
CPIM-certified employees are taught the necessary skills to be efficient in inventory and production management, global supply chain and customer relations. Meanwhile, CSCP-certified employees have a tested understanding of global supply chain management and of highly specific technology and international trade rules and regulations. However, both certifications develop skills that raise an employee’s value and make them more attractive to current and future potential employers.
