The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) announced a new “Certified Technician in Supply Chain Automation” (CT-SCA) training and certification program at their annual leadership meeting on August 20, 2020.
“Driven by COVID-19, the nation’s entire retail economy is accelerating its long-term shift towards e-Commerce: orders shipped directly to consumers out of large distribution centers,” said MSSC Chair and President, Leo Reddy. “In response to this challenge and opportunity, the e-Commerce industry is the most willing to increase its investment in automation technologies—according to a 2020 study by Honeywell Intelligrated. The CT-SCA program is designed to provide these companies with higher skilled technicians to ensure that these automated systems are dependable, cost-effective, flexible, and safe.”
The CT-SCA is focused on “persons who install, maintain, support, operate or upgrade the automated material handling equipment and systems which operate the supply chain,” says Steve Harrington, the industry liaison at the National Center for Supply Chain Automation. He claims that the center’s “research confirms 25% of all U.S. retail spending will be online by 2020, a trend expected to force 100,000 retail stores to close.”
Part of this certification program is the “Skill Boss Logistics,” a device invented by Amatrol, Inc., who supports the program. “Today’s use of supply chain automation is expanding at an exponential rate, causing the need for maintenance technicians who can service these systems to greatly exceed the current workforce supply,” says Paul Perkins, President of Amatrol. “This certification provides a high-quality means to prepare competent technicians.”
The final partner in the development and promotion of the CT-SCA program is MHI, a trade association in the material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry since 1945. They have a history of supporting education and technological innovation. “We are, and continue to be, pleased to join MSSC in developing and validation the national standards that provided the substantive foundation for CT-SCA. We will support and promote this new, high-quality certification within our membership.”
