From SCDigest's On-Target e-Magazine

Sept. 14, 2011

Supply Chain News: Institute for Supply Management Announces New Certification Program for Purchasing Managers that Lack a Four-Year Degree

New Program Offers Opportunity for Credentials for Many Procurement Managers Out There without Full Degrees; What wil it Cost You? We Summarize

SDigest Editorial Staff 

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) announced last week a new certification program that expands opportunities for procurement professionals to receive credentials even if they do not have a four-year college degree.

All the way back in 1974, ISM developed the well-known certified purchasing manager (C.P.M.) designation. That certification was focused primarily on knowledge relative to core purchasing/procurement subject matters.

SCDigest Says: There are a variety of paths/options for preparing for each certification program, meaning total costs can vary. For example, training and study materials are available on-line at the ISM web site. Additionally, local ISM roundtables often offer training What Do You Say? Click Here to Send Us Your Comments Click Here to See Reader Feedback

In 2008, ISM released a new Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) credential program that was meant to move a bit higher up the supply chain to expand the subject matter to a broader range of supply management issues. As a result of this new program, the C.P.M. program was retired in 2009 in terms of new certifications, but existing C.P.M. designees can still re-certify;.

The CPSM program, however, required that to receive the actual ISM credentials, someone passing the three required exams had to also have a four-year college degree. In other words, a purchasing manager could pass all the exams, but was ineligible to receive the the CPSM status from ISM if they lacked that degree.

But there many purchasing managers out there that have significant experience and knowledge, but who lack that four-year degree, perhaps having a two-year degree, or maybe no degree at all. Now, they will be able to receive a new Certified in Supply Management (CSM) credential if they pass the same three exams that are required for the CPSM certification and have at least five years of professional experience if they have no degree, or three years experience if they have a two-year degree.

The new CSM program will be available for testing beginning Nov. 15, 2011. As with other ISM certifications, the exams are delivered through Pearson VUE testing centers around the world.

ISM spokesperson Jean McHale said this new certification was needed not only to meet the needs of procurement managers lacking a full college degree, but also for the companies that employ them. She said, for example, that a company may have a goal of having its entire supply management staff get credentialed, but until now the only option for any non-degreed managers was to just pass the exams because there was no path for them to receive the ISM credentials.

This move actually brings the total current certification programs to three, those being CSPM and CSM programs described above and an also new Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity (CPSD) program ISM launched in January 2011.

Additionally, ISM offers a "Bridge" program for both the CPSM and CSM programs, in which experienced professionals with a current CPM certification can skip the first basic exam in the three-part exam series

Below, we summarize these various ISM programs.

ISM Certification Program Summary

What Does it Cost?

There are a variety of paths/options for preparing for each certification program, meaning total costs can vary. For example, training and study materials are available on-line at the ISM web site. Additionally, local ISM affiliates (chapters) often offer training. Costs also vary depending on whether a procurement manager is an ISM member or not.

(Sourcing and Procurement Article Continues Below)