Lerato Lodi (pictured right), course coordinator, engaging with one of the delegates in attendance at the Africa Supply Chain in Action (ASCA) Online Conference.
To address some of the challenges, SAPICS – The Professional Body for Supply Chain Management, together with Smart Procurement (Africa’s leading supply chain procurement information service) hosted the Africa Supply Chain in Action (ASCA) Online Conference, Africa’s biggest online conference for the supply chain and procurement professionals, from 19 -20 August 2020.
Over 1,000 procurement and supply chain professionals gathered online during the event themed ‘Adapt and Thrive for the New Tomorrow’. The online conference was divided into several breakaway sessions, including a virtual exhibition all aimed at creating an exchange of information amongst those affected in the supply chain management (SCM) sector, raising awareness on the importance of collaborative work amongst organisations in Africa, providing practical solutions going forward for practitioners and addressing the skills gap within SCM.
Present at the event was Enterprises University of Pretoria (Enterprises UP), which offers training solutions spanning over 140 disciplines, including supply chain management and logistics. The purpose of the virtual exhibition was to encourage networking and showcasing product offerings beneficial to the supply chain sector. Enterprises UP has an extensive supply chain management and logistics product range focused on professional upskilling and addressing organisational challenges. Some of the offerings include short courses and programmes in Contract Management, online course in Process Modelling for Business Operations and Online Demand Management in the Public Sector.
Wesley Niemann, programme lead: MPhil supply chain management at the University of Pretoria (UP) and course leader for the supply chain management and logistics portfolio at Enterprises UP, also shared some insight on the importance of upskilling to remain relevant in the inevitable fluctuations yet to occur in the supply chain industry in the future. “The future of supply chain management is extremely dynamic and major change is coming. Supply chain management will become much more efficient and transparent. Fewer resources will be needed to serve end customers, though they will provide more information throughout the process. Technology will help supply chains differentiate within a market that demands increasing speed and convenience. The limitations of current systems will make way for a data-driven future where artificial intelligence based systems smoothly manage the flow of goods and services. Many existing supply chain management jobs will become redundant and the jobs and skills landscape is going to change forever. Therefore, employers have to take the responsibility of reskilling their employees, also employees need to be willing to learn new skills.”
For more information on our training solutions in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, please contact the Course Coordinator for further assistance.
