APICS adds certification program for transportation and distribution

Supply chain research and education group APICS has filled a gap in its portfolio of certification programs by creating a transportation and logistics exam, the group said Monday.

By adding a certification in logistics, transportation, and distribution—known as CLTD—APICS has extended its range of professional training courses to cover the entire supply chain, the Chicago-based organization said. The group is already known for its certification programs, such as its Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) programs.

APICS had first moved to create the new CLTD program in 2015 when it merged with the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (AST&L), known for its own Certified in Transportation and Logistics (CTL) designation.

Since then, the merged groups have revised and adapted that foundation to draft the new standard through a nine-month collaboration with subject-matter experts, who determined best practices and defined the most current knowledge necessary for a career in transportation and distribution, said Bob Collins, APICS' senior director of professional development.

"APICS has been in the supply chain areas for some years, starting in the operations area," Collins said. "As we began expanding to cover the supply chain end to end, we saw that one area we did not have a lot of education in was logistics, transportation, and distribution, which has been growing fast thanks to globalization."

On July 11, APICS launched a CLTD learning system that includes a set of online courses and books. running about 850 pages of material. The coursework includes quizzes, flash cards, and mock exams to help students prepare for the test, either in self-paced work or study groups. Applicants can start taking the test itself on October 1.

Designed to help logistics-industry companies identify and train quality employees, the CLTD certification program is designed for professionals at the manager level, although it could also apply to aspiring managers or to vice presidents, Collins said.

Applicants who earn the CLTD designation must pass a comprehensive exam that covers eight modules: logistics and supply chain overview; capacity planning and demand management; order management; inventory and warehouse management; transportation management; global logistics considerations; logistics network design; and reverse logistics and sustainability.