There are many professions that feature some sort of mandatory continuing education requirements as a condition of maintaining employment in the field. Teachers, for example, are required to undergo periodic refresher courses in order to keep their teaching certificates active. Many people employed in the health sciences and medical professions need to undergo periodic training updates in order to keep versed in the latest accepted practices.
Of course there are other white collar positions that do not necessarily mandate continuing education, but this lack of coercion does not mean that keeping up to date is a bad idea. In fact, in today's competitive job market, making sure that one's professional skills are honed to a razor's edge can make the difference between advancement and abject failure. For those involved in the field of purchasing and procurement, following current trends has become critical due to the ever-changing nature of business logistics.
Procurement managers know that they are often forced to choose between one of three different methods of procurement. The first method is the way that their company has always done it. The second way is how their current software provider would like for them to do it. The third way is how other vendors who do not currently hold the contract suggest would be an improvement on either of the first two methods listed. Figuring out best practice purchase and procurement thus becomes somewhat of a gamble that leaves the man on the spot dependent on the word of others who all have an interest in the outcome.
The way around this dilemma is to beef up one's own knowledge of best purchasing and procurement standards by heading back to school. This does not mean that an MBA is in the cards, but merely that some fresh ideas are needed to prime the intellectual pump. Modern online courses offer the best way of accomplishing this requirement without breaking the bank or necessitating a leave of absence from the job. These opportunities can range from a formal for-credit college course to a shorter-length seminar-type event that can be rapidly absorbed.
One thing that needs to be kept in mind for anyone who is interested in taking a best practice purchasing and procurement class is that it is necessary to guard against a "party line" solution that merely reinforces some pre-conceived notion or else strictly conforms to a single set of preferences. Best practice does not always work out to be the same solution for every enterprise, and it behoves the student to look into coursework that will examine a more diverse selection of solutions rather than focusing on a deeper examination of a single methodology. Of course, once a specific preference has been established, then it becomes time to explore things in more explicit detail.
Regardless of how one goes about it, however, keeping abreast of the latest developments in innovative purchasing and procurement methods is a good way to be first in line among all the potential candidates when the opportunity for promotion beckons.
About the Author
Sheila Harris Williams is the author of this article and owner of Business Services Support, the business development training and consultancy firm.She offers different types of training courses like procurement training courses, Procurement Training, Best Practice Procurement Course, etc.
|