The Procurement Academy | Procurement Apprenticeships | CIPS Qualifications | Procurement Training Yorkshire

Procurement and supply chain management are critical components of many businesses and organisations. The increasing demand for skilled professionals in these fields has led to the growth of procurement apprenticeships, which offer a unique opportunity for individuals to start a career in procurement. In this article, we will explore the benefits and suitability of procurement apprenticeships and why they are an excellent option for individuals looking to start a career in the field of procurement and supply chain management. What are Procurement Apprenticeships? Procurement apprenticeships are programs that offer on-the-job training and education in procurement and supply chain management. These programs typically include hands-on experience, mentorship from experienced professionals, and theoretical education. The goal is to provide individuals with the skills and…

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This time of year we hear lots about New Year's Resolutions. Many people look to have a few resolutions to achieve during the year, these range from fitness based goals, financial goals or professional goals. What many people don't think about is where did the concept of New Year's resolutions come from? New Year resolutions are said to have started with the ancient Babylonians some 4000 years ago and were the first to hold recorded celebrations to mark the new year. Although this was not in January but in mid-March when they planted crops. This practice continued in one form or another until during the ancient Roman period where emperor Julius Caesar introduced the Roman calendar in circa 46 B.C…

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Which route is best? For over 18 months now there have been two options available for procurement professionals who wish to develop their career further by studying of the CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply. Basically, these are the two approaches. The Level 4 Apprentice Standard for Commercial Procurement and the existing route, which is for the stand alone Level 4 Diploma study which is generally to attend a CIPS approved study centre, carry out examination based assessments, with supported learning, or, if desired through distance learning. The Level 4 Standard for 4 Commercial Procurement encompasses the Level 4 Diploma and requires the learner to have 20% off the job learning, which ideally is structured to support the apprentice into a fully…

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Another successful exam period here at The Procurement Academy for our CIPS students. Nearly all of our students have achieved merits or distinctions, which is a huge credit to their hard work. The pass rate at our approved study centres was a fantastic 95%. A special congratulations is needed for our Diploma students at Sheffield who achieved not only a 100% pass rate like Nottingham but a 100% Distinction pass rate. This is down to the hard work of the students and our brilliant tutor, Reg Dyson. The 100% pass rate at Nottingham, is also down to the excellent efforts of the students but the knowledge passed on from our tutor Mike Donnelly certainly helped them on their way. Are…

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Is it about time we stopped dancing around our handbags? The operations expert is charged with writing a specification for an operational activity that is to be carried out by an external provider. This will be provided to procurement. Procurement will interpret the specification as part of a tender or RFQ, and provide a set of standard contract terms. Following bid submission, the process of bid evaluation will take place. The bid evaluation will result in a contract award that forming a legally building contract between the organisation and the provider. The contract will be handed to the operations expert to manage both operationally and contractually and commercially. Does this sound familiar? Now, according to CIPS, a specification is the means of defining the…

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Do you want to upskill your procurement function? In procurement and want to get yourself ready for the next role? Working outside procurement & supply and would like to progress you career in the procurement & supply chain field? • Materials Management • Finance • Stores & warehousing Want to know what 'good' procurement is in other organisations? Want a formal qualification leading to MCIPS? Applied 'best practice' learning in your work environment? Do you tick any of these boxes? If so, the Level 4 Standard in Commercial Procurement & Supply could be the perfect way to taking your next step in your career. The Standard describes the skills,…

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Many people still have a pre-existing idea of what an apprenticeship entails but in today's world, they are a completely reformed and exciting method of advancing one's career. No longer just for the 16-18-year-old school leavers but people of all ages looking to develop their skills and capability. This initiative has been produced to improve productivity in the UK by bridging skills gaps identified by British employers. This benefits employers and employees by developing their skills and their careers in Procurement and Supply. This is a new approach to a new syllabus which could land you a new career, how does that sound? For more information, visit the Institute for Apprenticeships website with the link below. https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/commercial-procurement-and-supply-formerly-public-sector-commercial-professional/ or speak to us about…

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According to the Hays Procurement Salary Guide and Insights report fourth edition 2018, "skills shortages remain prevalent". With 56% of responders facing challenges in finding the right talent, 21% saw a top challenge being competition from other employers. A further insight is that 30% of respondents were looking to change jobs within the next 12 months. With the challenges and opportunities facing UK supply chains following whatever Brexit will be in the end, the last thing we need is unfilled vacancies in procurement and supply chain functions. So where are we looking for soft skills such as communication and relationship management that we advertise as part of a skill set requirement but quite often even with higher salaries and increasing recruitment costs…

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