Fast-moving technological and other changes in the global economy are threatening to leave South Africa behind if the country can’t match its supply chain skills to meet the new demands.
 
According to the 2016 Barloworld Supplychainforesight report, the education and training necessary for companies to stay relevant and competitive is falling short of national requirements; the report urgently recommends an action plan involving close public and private sector collaboration.
 
Working hard to raise the profile of this issue are the SAPICS Supply Chain Management Education Excellence Awards (SCMEEA), which celebrate and reward those who are keeping the country’s professionals at the cutting edge. With entries to the awards closing on 22 August, companies are urged to submit their success stories and nominate their champions.
 
As the leading supply chain association in Africa, SAPICS launched these awards a decade ago to recognise excellence in the provision of education and training in the profession. For training organisations, the awards present a tremendous opportunity to benchmark their educational efforts in an increasingly competitive market.

At the same time, companies investing in training use the awards to validate their innovative approaches to building their businesses on the latest skills.
 
The event includes individual awards for Student of the Year and for Supply Chain Professional of the Year, as well as accolades for the Corporate Educator of the Year and the Training/Education Provider of the Year.
 
“By casting the spotlight on educational and training excellence in the supply chain management profession, we provide a platform for this very vital profession to receive the acknowledgement and praise it so deserves,” said SAPICS Group Sales and Marketing Manager, Tonya Lamb.

“Supply chain management is critical to business success in all industries; improving the skills in this profession is a sure way of paving the way toward the higher levels of economic growth that we so desperately need.”
 
For more information: www.sapics.org