Certifying tomorrow’s supply chain technicians

Technicians in the materials handling field face an identity crisis. If your company wants to hire an auto mechanic, you know how to advertise for the position because, first and foremost, you are probably looking for technicians who are ASE certified. But there is no equivalent certification for a technician who is qualified to repair and maintain automated materials handling systems.

When your company posts a job opening, are you looking for a mechanic, an electrician, an installer, someone versed in warehouse management system (WMS) software or some combination of all four? And, what about your competitor down the street who has a job opening but is calling the position something completely different?

What’s more, today’s systems are much more complicated than yesterday’s systems. Conveyors and sorters that could once be repaired by a mechanic trained to swap out a motor, a roller or a bearing are now part of a complex ecosystem that includes data collection technologies and sensors that are controlled by programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and software. Keeping that level of technology up and running requires very specific skill sets that are not easily classified.

We expect that situation to change the first of next year. The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) and MHI have just established the framework for a new national industry certification for supply chain technicians, titled “Certified Technician in Supply Chain Automation (CTSCA).”

This industry standards-based certification for a new occupation is based on a definition of “supply chain technician (SCT)” developed by the National Center for Supply Chain Technology Education (NCSCTE), a consortium of community colleges based in Norco, Calif. NCSCTE defines a supply chain technician as: “a person who installs, operates, supports, upgrades or maintains the software, hardware or automated equipment and systems that support the supply chain.” 

It’s a broad field of expertise, characterized by the variety of different job titles used to describe the position. Among them: Industrial Machinery Technician, Industrial Maintenance Mechanic and Electro-mechanical Technician. Regardless of the title given by their employer, supply chain technicians are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth in the field to be as high as 28%, or 120,000 new positions, by 2020.

This tremendous growth can be attributed to the need for supply chain technicians by every industry that uses a supply chain to produce and deliver its goods to market. Among them are retail, automotive, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, aerospace and durable goods. These valuable employees support, maintain and repair increasingly complex automated equipment and machinery: advanced technologies that are installed and used throughout warehousing and distribution facilities with increasing frequency.

However, the anticipated growth in the number of new jobs tells only half the story. The need for supply chain technicians is exacerbated by the impending retirement of a cadre of trained technicians. What’s more, as non-industrial sectors of our economy implement automation including health care facilities, airports, hotels, resorts and casinos, supply chain firms will now face new competitors for talent.

When implemented, the purpose of the certification is described below:
Certification independently verifies that an individual can demonstrate a specific level of supply chain-related technical knowledge, skills, competence and ability. The credential will allow individuals to demonstrate proficiency in four critical areas of work function germane to the SCT: 1) Demonstrating Basic Supply Chain Automation Competency; 2) Maintaining Equipment/Systems; 3) Installing, Modifying, Troubleshooting and Repairing Equipment/Systems; and 4) Installing, Modifying, Troubleshooting, and Repairing Basic Controllers and Networks. Candidates will have the option of securing certification in each respective function area and would receive a master CTSCA certification upon attainment of all four. Those possessing the MSSC Certified Logistics Associate certificate would be granted equivalency in function area No. 1, making these certifications truly stackable. Two Plus endorsements will also be available to those who have attained the master CTSCA and wish to add certifications for the still higher skilled areas of Advanced Controllers Systems and Advanced Equipment Network Systems.

Certification meets a number of important industry needs for its employees including independent verification of skills, easier identification and recruitment of qualified employees, enhanced knowledge of safety practices, consistent and common skills and knowledge, standardization of advancement and promotional opportunities, reduced dependence on outside vendors, and a reduction in operational downtime that results in improved customer service.

The establishment of this certification represents the culmination of a three-year partnership between NCSCTE, MSSC and MHI. Each partner has contributed something critical and unique to this process.

For instance, the NCSCTE began the work of identifying the occupation of SCT back in 2011 through a grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program. The National Center has since completed its research and developed resources to facilitate the adoption of an SCT program of study by community and technical colleges throughout the nation. The over-arching goal of the center is to increase the number of skilled supply chain technicians nationwide.

For those not familiar with the organization, MSSC is the national leader in developing the first-ever national certification for front-line materials handling and distribution work through its MSSC-Certified Logistics Associate/Certified Logistics Technician (CLA/CLT) program. MSSC is also the only national certification body accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under ISO quality standard 17025 (Personnel Certification) for manufacturing and logistics. And MHI, the sponsor of the ProMat and Modex trade shows, is the leading national, non-profit association representing the suppliers of materials handling and logistics solutions.

The certification is expected to be released on Jan. 1, 2016. If you ask me, there’s no better way to start a new year.

Colleen Molko is executive director, National Science Foundation Center for Supply Chain Technology Education. She can be reached at [email protected].