How has the CIPS qualification helped in your current role?
I had been in procurement for a number of years. It is easy to think that a lot of procurement is common sense. The CIPS courses provide a framework that challenges some of these assumptions, gives a theoretical background that provided a real benefit, and opens new strategic ideas.
I found that CIPS provided a number of tools (for example; risk analysis, sustainability, portfolio analysis, category planning etc.) that were immediately useful. The courses on law and analysis of financial statements were particularly useful in raising procurements profile in the wider business.
How has the CIPS qualification enhanced your career?
The CIPS qualifications have helped in specific areas, such as formulation and development of contracts and understanding the legal nature of business relationships. These were specifically useful in contract negotiation positions. The knowledge on areas such as category management, risk management, sustainability helped our business to develop strategies in these areas.
In terms of my personal development, the CIPS qualification helped me to understand where my future aspirations lie within procurement and the types of business that I would like to work for.
How has the training benefited your organisation?
Several members of staff started on the CIPS journey. For three of us, it increased our skills and developed us both personally and professionally. It allowed us to apply different ideas to problems and increase the status of procurement by delivering immediate solutions (i.e. introducing a risk register or sustainability policy) that would not have been possible otherwise.
Can you describe a case where your CIPS skills and knowledge has contributed to the success of your organisation?
We had had a system of classifying suppliers that had been developed before we started on our CIPS journey. This was completely overhauled following our experience, leading to real development of key relationships with suppliers to add future value to our organisation, and the downgrading of others that we had considered strategic to tactical to ensure that we achieved best value-for-money. This laid the foundations for future innovation, fostering the right relationships and thinking about category direction in the short, medium and long term.
Our CIPS training was a real enabler in our procurement team thinking differently and giving the ability to add value.
How do you feel about your experience studying with SR Supply Chain Consultants?
SR have been excellent. The tutors were well-qualified, experienced, helpful and friendly. They were able to give valuable insights into exam technique and which parts of the curriculum where core and which were good to know in terms of exam revision. Revision packs and guidance were similarly good.
We used the remote web-based lessons and found this very convenient in being able to plan lessons and study around our work schedules.
Would you recommend SR Supply Chain Consultants to a friend or colleague?
Yes, I would recommend SR to anyone seeking a CIPS qualification
