Professional Advancement

Attend educational sessions in this Learning Path to achieve career advancement through actions both large and small. Educational sessions will help you improve your interviewing skills, prepare yourself for future trends in the profession, illustrate techniques for improving the employee value proposition for new hires at your organization, and more. Sponsored by Pearson VUE

Monday, October 18

8:00 am - 9:15 am
Recharging Recession-Weary Leaders

Shane Yount
Principal
Competitive Solutions Inc.

Business leaders everywhere are experiencing pressure associated with downsizing, missed financial targets, and elevated responsibilities. Many are in corporate cultures so focused on survival and cost containment that professional growth is nearly impossible. Organizations must make leadership development a corporate priority. This interactive session will address the foundations of leadership training and demonstrate how they can significantly improve the bottom line. The presenter will illustrate the importance of employee involvement, setting realistic goals, and continuous improvement.

Attend this session to

• Evaluate your organization and make scalable recommendations
• Gain the practical knowledge necessary to effectively transition leaders
• Implement innovative leadership techniques

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• A blueprint for customized educational plans
• Strategic use of project management through shadowing, coaching, and mentoring
• Techniques for driving down business objectives from top management to hourly employees

1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Change Management in the Global Supply Chain

Jeanenne LaMarsh
Chief Executive Officer
LaMarsh and Associates, Inc.

Daniel Druwe Araujo
Principal
Transformation Through People (T2People)

As operations and supply chain management professionals work to accomplish their strategic objectives for the coming decade, the global supply chain will be a critical element. The presenters of this session will examine the most-likely supply chain shifts, explain how best to prepare for them, and offer strategies for making the most of opportunities associated with the emerging issues. Attendees will learn how to manage change efficiently, effectively, and sustainably. 

Attend this session to

• Determine what types of supply chain demands soon will face professionals
• Identify techniques for quickly adapting to the unforeseen
• Recognize resistance and help people overcome it
  

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• Proven strategies for developing a culture of continual change
• Examples of real-world change management in an operations framework
• Techniques for organizing and leading effective projects

2:30 pm -3:45 pm
Enhancing Employee Proficiencies

Duane Stevens, CPIM, CSCP, CMP
Instructor, Supply Chain Solutions
Fox Valley Technical College

With which organization would you prefer to collaborate—one that invests in the intellectual capital of its greatest assets or one that eliminates these assets in a time of recession? The economy will continue to move and shift. As such, it’s vital to build employee skills and remain open to new avenues of proficiency. This session will teach you how to get comfortable with change and influence your organization’s renovation. The presenters will explain how to lead employee training and education, making the business more attractive and increasing retention.

Attend this session to

• Discover intellectual capital opportunities in your organization
• Understand the importance of continuous improvement
• Find out why flexibility is becoming the norm for developing new and valuable skills

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• Supply chain strategies for intelligent business progression
• Tactics for innovative employee advancement and retention
• Demonstrated methods for becoming more responsive, agile, and efficient

4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
The Employee Value Proposition

Alan Milliken, CPIM, CIRM, CSCP
Business Process Education Manager
BASF Corporation

Many employees are facing a high degree of career uncertainty and weakened relationships with employers. This session will show you how to evaluate the unique challenges associated with maintaining a balanced employee value proposition. The presenter will explain how to develop an effective plan to increase your personal value to your business and provide valuable input for organizationwide improvement.

Attend this session to

• Make an objective assessment of your employer’s approach to valuing employees
• Align your personal development plans with competencies required in your current position
• Discover the keys to surviving and flourishing at your organization

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• The APICS Supply Chain Manager Competency Model applied to real-world employee value propositions
• Effective techniques for deciding if and when to make a job change based on the employer-employee relationship
• Strategies for developing your professional value

Tuesday, October 19

8:00 am - 9:15 am
Closing the Talent Gap

G. Dean Witman, CFPIM
Lead Instructor, Supply Chain Solutions
Fox Valley Technical College       

Lisa Angell, CPIM, CSCP
Instructor, Supply Chain Solutions
Fox Valley Technical College

The demands placed on the operations workforce are accelerating; meanwhile, there is a shortage of competent, cross-functionally trained professionals. This session will address these emerging issues by providing a model for identifying and preparing individuals for challenging and rewarding roles in operations management. The presenters will illustrate how to identify systemic consequences of actions, understand the importance of serving one another and pursuing shared values, and improve performance by facilitating an ongoing cycle of action and reflection.

Attend this session to

• Become more effective in the workplace
• Build a leadership community that will accelerate organizational learning
• Use talent management as a strategic enabler

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• A proven model for identifying and preparing individuals for key roles in the field
• Operations management techniques effectively applied to other functional areas
• Practical tactics for managing organizational change

1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
The People Factor of Lean Six Sigma and Operational Excellence

Ron Crabtree, CPIM, CIRM, CSCP
President
MetaOps

Professionals at all levels of the business use various methods to motivate, lead, and energize employees. Simply telling people they are empowered is not enough—in order to help employees achieve the benefits of lean six sigma and operational excellence, you first must identify missing links in management skills. This presentation will teach you practical, simple ways to close the gaps with your lean six sigma and operational excellence teams and illustrate programs designed to augment employee performance.

Attend this session to

• Identify gaps in your organization’s ability to achieve desired results
• Learn simple and practical methods to close the gaps
• Foster outstanding team performance

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• Specific methods of employee involvement used in conjunction with lean six sigma and operational excellence initiatives
• Proven ways to build and support high-performing teams
• Practical tips for involving your workforce and achieving superior operating results
  

3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Propel Your Career with Better Interview Skills

Gary Capone
Owner
Palladian International, LLC

Whether you are preparing for your next annual review, trying to land a big promotion, or pounding the pavement, better interviewing skills will help you succeed. By preparing thoroughly and learning a few key techniques, you can turn interviewing into one of your strengths and outpace the competition. This session will detail some common interview mistakes, explain how to avoid them, and present a proven system to help you prepare for your next big opportunity.

Attend this session to

• Organize your achievements and adapt them to almost any situation
• Discover methods for staying on topic and focused
• Improve your communication skills
  
  

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• A proven method for providing clear, concise, and specific examples in interviews
• A simple technique for avoiding common interview and annual review mistakes
• Tips for communicating your contributions in interviews, status meetings, annual reviews, and as part of your general routine

Wednesday, October 20

10:30 am - 11:45 am
How to Survive the Stress of a Chaotic World

Tom Schulte
President
TS Consulting

If your life seems like a merry-go-round spinning out of control, you are not alone. Just take a look at your colleagues: Today’s professionals are faced with the stresses of having to do more with less, intense workplace competition, fear of losing one’s job, unsatisfying work assignments, balancing work and family life, learning new technologies, and much more. This session will demonstrate how you can take control and improve your quality of life.

Attend this session to

• Identify the stressors in your life
• Deepen your understanding of how these stressors affect your happiness and health, both personally and professionally
• Assume responsibility for your own improvement

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• Real-world strategies for improving your quality of life
• Simple techniques for easing your stress
• Proven methods for eliminating stressors from your life and keeping them away

3:00 - 4:15 pm
Your Professional Strategic Plan

Randall Schaefer, CPIM
Consultant
R Schaefer Consulting

Debra L. Smith, CFPIM, CIRM, CSCP
Product Information and Planning Manager
AGS Company

Businesspeople must embrace change in order to deliver consistently high standards of competency and communication. This session will explore the evolution of professionalism, predict future mandates, and establish the elements of a solid plan to help you keep pace with industry shifts. The presenters will share tips for recognizing your personal mandate and show you how to capitalize on your professional value.

Attend this session to

• Understand your company’s ever-changing strategies surrounding core competencies and competition
• Investigate the history of professionalism in supply chain management
• Identify and evaluate the necessary ingredients of a professional strategic plan

APICS 2010 is about applying best practices. This session will feature

• An effective plan for maximizing your value to the organization
• Suggestions for implementing your professional strategic plan
• Suggestions of educational and experiential action items