Through a partnership between the University of Houston College of Technology supply chain and logistics program, and San Jacinto College, more than 50 University of Houston supply chain and logistics technology students have had an opportunity to complete the set of eight certifications - the first group from the University of Houston to earn the complete set of SCPro™ Fundamentals certifications awarded by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).
San Jacinto College began offering the Leveraging, Integrating, Networking, and Coordinating Supplies (LINCS) program in spring 2015. LINCS is funded by a $24.5 million U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant. San Jacinto College is a member of the consortium of nine colleges and three universities that was awarded a portion of the TAACCCT grant to develop a national curriculum, enroll students into credit-bearing supply chain management degree plan, provide credentials, and place graduates in jobs and/or provide transfers into four-year universities. The supply chain management program at San Jacinto College administers the courses needed to earn the CSCMP certifications. Currently, it is the only college in Texas to award the Council of Supply Chain Management Professional (CSCMP) certifications.
Program director of LINCS at San Jacinto College, Margaret Kidd, reached out to the University of Houston Supply-chain Industrial Distribution Organization (SIDO) organization with an invitation to take advantage of the training for the exams.
"Employers focus on hiring graduates that have go beyond just getting a degree in a discipline," said Kidd. "Students who position themselves with specialized certifications stand out from the average and have a much higher likelihood of securing a prime position."
The LINCS program includes eight industry-recognized certification tracks: customer service operations, demand planning, inventory management, manufacturing and service operations, supply chain management principles, supply management and procurement, transportation operations, and warehousing operations.
Irfan Agha, a senior in the supply chain and logistics program at UH, serves as the external vice president of SIDO. "I hope that by completing these certifications and serving as a liaison for UH students positions us as leading supply chain professionals", said Agha who is among those who have earned all of the national certifications needed to obtain the CSCMP SCPro™ Fundamentals certification.
Many of the students in the University of Houston supply chain and logistics program have goals similar to Agha's and are pursuing a second career and degree. Others are rejoining the workforce, first-time students, and military veterans.