Supply Chain Practitioner

On a supply chain practitioner apprenticeship course, you’ll help organise and coordinate a network of interconnected businesses to provide goods and services to the end customer.

The process of distributing things or services from a supplier to a customer is known as the supply chain. It’s essential in fast-moving consumer products like food and drink, retail, and consumables, where items are often purchased, and high turnover.

As a supply chain practitioner, you’ll work in one or more supply chain positions. You could predict client demand as a junior demand planner, connect with the factory’s production schedule as a junior supply planner, process orders as a customer service operative, and deal with hauliers and distribution centres as an assistant transport planner.

You’ll get a comprehensive understanding of the whole supply chain, accept responsibility for your impact on each function, and strive to deliver the most exemplary service possible.

What you’ll learn

On a supply chain practitioner apprenticeship course,, you’ll learn to:

• Meet critical deadlines to ensure the FMCG supply chain’s proper functioning, including managing unexpected demand, by prioritising the flow of FMCG products or services based on dynamic and changing data.
• Lead and participate in day-to-day problem-solving efforts in the FMCG industry, where minor process changes may have a significant impact on the rest of the supply chain, using well-known techniques: A Fishbone Diagram and 5 Whys
• Improve the FMCG supply chain’s performance by using continuous improvement tactics, such as forecast accuracy.
• Manipulate and comprehend constantly changing data sets to aid supply chain decision-making (s)
• Use IT tools like Excel and corporate and customer platforms to manage the supply chain.
• Complete supply chain documentation is essential for audit reasons.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• Depending on the employer, but likely GCSEs or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience.
• Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment consists of three distinct assessment methods:

• A written knowledge test answered through a combination of multiple-choice questions and extended answer questions
• A workplace project and presentation
• Professional dialogue and interview

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 2 Supply Chain Practitioner—Fast Moving Consumer Goods Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.