With the worldwide pandemic ongoing, many educational events are becoming canceled. And so, people wanting to enhance their knowledge about logistics or engage in supply chain training have to find online methods to meet these goals.
With that in mind, here are some supply chain educational resources that you can find online. Let's dive right in!
The esteemed Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides this open course for people wanting to enhance their supply chain management knowledge. This free supply chain educational resource focuses on planning models for production and inventory distribution strategies, particularly on vehicle routing problems, dynamic lot sizing, pricing models, and other problems. It features a syllabus, readings, and even assignments; it is an excellent supply chain educational resource for people with some extra time on their hands.
Textbooks are excellent supply chain educational resources; however, they can be pretty pricy in nature, which deters many people from turning to them. However, there is an increasing push to make texts publicly available to share knowledge. One such textbook that is a great supply chain educational resource is Dr. Charles Standridge’s Beyond Lean: Simulation in Practice, an open-source textbook that looks at the application of lean processes and protocols concerning numerous aspects of supply chain management such as inventory management, integrated supply systems, and distribution centers.
Supply chain management and logistics require a good foundation of knowledge; however, staying relevant is also incredibly important as the discipline evolves quickly with advances in technology. Thus, staying abreast of news within the field is critically essential for practitioners. Inbound Logistics is an excellent supply chain educational resource that provides insightful articles about advances in the industry. Whether you want to browse their articles and white papers or signup for a free subscription to have it delivered to your inbox, this is a great way for professionals in the industry to stay informed.
Future Learn one of many sites that provides people with courses in many in-demand disciplines. This course on supply chain management in the digital era focuses on the processes of a digital supply change, risk assessment, utilizing supply chain management to gain competitive advantages, and fitting it within an organizational strategy. The course is self-guided, enabling people to learn at their own pace. This particular course is great for beginners in particular.
Many organizations are going virtual to enhance their supply chain educational resources. One such organization is the Association for Supply Chain Management. This professional organization offers an endless variety of conferences, seminars, virtual events, and webinars that focus on the supply chain and logistics industry. Periodically checking the events section of their website will help you stay informed of upcoming supply chain training offered by the ASCM and their partners.
Suppose you want new relating to the supply chain management industry paired with opportunities to engage. In that case, the Supply Chain Management Review is one of the best supply chain educational resources out there. In addition to news and blogs, you can also find webcasts about important issues in the field. The SCMR also has podcasts and periodic virtual summits that provide supply chain training to interested parties. Thus, this serves as a comprehensive site for news and engaging with others in the industry.
Several websites provide online courses for the supply chain management and logistics industry, and EdX is a favorite for many learners. One of the best aspects of EdX is that courses themselves are accessible. If you want to earn a certificate for completing the course, you pay a fee. Here you’ll find many supply chain educational resources, including courses on design, systems, analytics, Six Sigma, and logistics. You can also have the option to work towards a graduate degree.
Which of these educational resource sounds like the right fit for you?