Over 500 years of SCM experience – determined to upskill the industry, worldwide. 

Members of the The Supply Chain Academy faculty and its skills training development arm, CP Training Services, recently met at Upminster Court and renewed their passionate and ongoing commitment to supporting supply chain companies in developing the skills of their employees.

This biannual event brings together the international faculty team for an update on the Academy’s business activities and initiatives and is also an opportunity to share experiences and current thinking, which is all part of the long-term development of the faculty.

Unique to the Supply Chain Academy / CP Training Services is the wealth of knowledge and experience across its faculty – spanning more than 500 years of combined international management in senior roles combined with consulting, training, education or coaching both in the UK and overseas; from Helsinki to Cape Town, St John to Bangkok, and Aberdeen to Tunis.

Attendees were reminded of the importance of understanding each others’ personal preferences – an essential element for effective communications – through an Insights Discovery™ interactive exercise, undertaken in the sunshine on the terrace. With so many focused training experts in one place, this proved to be a noisy affair – but reflectively valuable for all. The SCA is an accredited centre for Insights Discovery profiling and interventions, and Insights Discovery profiles are available to all delegates on CP Training’s open courses.

Among a range of new initiatives discussed, was a briefing on the new Supply Chain Career Pathway contract with the Aircraft Maintenance and Support Division of BAE Systems. This blended learning solution ran its first practitioner level course in June 2017 and comprises three levels of skills development; from a foundation distance learning programme for new entrants, through to practitioner and advanced levels. Each of the courses within the Pathway is geared to the specialist skills required across the three key operating streams within Aircraft Maintenance & Support (AM&S). The programme is scheduled to roll-out annually until 2022.

The Supply Chain Academy has also been supporting the development of a new Supply Chain Leadership Professional Integrated Degree Apprenticeship, as part of an employer led team (chaired by the Uniserve Group) bringing together more than 20 industry sector companies and 10 Universities. The Degree Apprenticeship is planned to be ready for delivery in early 2018.

Faculty members concluded the day with a warm and unanimous appreciation and best wishes to retiring CP Training Managing Director, Dr Steve Booy, who is moving on to new challenges from the beginning of September. Steve had originally been a member of the faculty since 2002 and became one of the management team in 2008, taking up the MD role in 2010. During his time, Steve had nurtured many skills development initiatives with clients, especially in Kazakhstan, Oman and Nigeria and most recently with the new BAE Systems contract. However, Steve will not disappear from the fold, as he will be supporting SCA/CP on special projects as and when his specialist talents are needed.

For more information about how the Supply Chain Academy can help your business, please email Alex Mortimer (SCA’s Commercial Director) at am@supplychainacademy.org.uk.