APICS: 1,000 professionals have earned logistics, transportation and distribution certification

APICS, the association for supply chain management, revealed that 1,000 supply chain professionals have completed the APICS Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD) credential program.

Announced onstage during the APICS 2017 conference, this milestone comes only 15 months after the initial launch of the CLTD program. APICS developed the CLTD program to help supply chain professionals meet the challenges of modern logistics, transportation and distribution management. The certification sets its holders apart as highly skilled professionals who have gained mastery of logistics knowledge.

“It is tremendously exciting to see the CLTD credential grow so quickly,” said APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. “Our goal with the CLTD designation was to fill the need for a comprehensive logistics certification based on a single, universal body of knowledge. The rapid growth clearly signifies that CLTD has been accepted as the industry standard, and is highly sought after by both individuals and employers.”

The CLTD program launched in July 2016. APICS worked alongside subject matter experts to ensure the CLTD certification reflected the most important and current knowledge set necessary to pursue or advance a career in logistics, transportation and distribution. In conjunction with the new certification, APICS rolled out a comprehensive learning system to support candidates during the certification process. Candidates can choose the learning option that best suits their needs, including self-study materials through an exam preparation tool called the CLTD Learning System, online courses or classroom instruction.

“The CLTD designation signifies that job candidates will be valuable assets to the organization, positioning them ahead of their peers,” said senior director of professional development Bob Collins, CFPIM, CIRM, CSCP, CPLP. “The credential indicates to employers that individuals are prepared for roles spanning the field. Conversely, employers are using the courseware and designation as a way to train their teams to improve supply chain performance.”

Those interested in earning the CLTD designation must pass one exam, which reflects eight critical areas in logistics, transportation and distribution, and are required to maintain the CLTD designation by obtaining 75 continuing education points every five years.

The eight critical areas include:
● Logistics and Supply Chain Overview
● Capacity Planning and Demand Management
● Order Management
● Inventory and Warehouse Management
● Transportation Management
● Global Logistics Considerations
● Logistics Network Design
● Reverse Logistics and Sustainability

The CLTD program is just one example of APICS professional development innovation. Last month, APICS launched Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) Version 6.0, and also recently announced the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) 12.0 model. This update improves the SCOR model, which has been the cross-industry, global standard for supply chain excellence for the last twenty years.