Supply Chain & Operations · Accredited certification
CPIA
Certified Production and Inventory Analyst (CPIA)
Why production and inventory analysis matters
A plant performs when demand, materials and capacity are planned together. When forecasts feed the production schedule, materials arrive when the line needs them and quality is built into the process, the operation ships on time with less stock tied up and less rework.
When planning, purchasing and production work in isolation, the gaps show up on the shop floor: schedules that change every day, shortages next to excess stock, idle machines, unplanned maintenance and waste nobody measures. CPIA gives planners, operations staff and supervisors a shared view of the whole manufacturing and operations system, from demand to continuous improvement, backed by a VCARE Academy certification.
What you will be able to do
- Link business strategy, business functions and supply chains to customer service
- Forecast and manage demand, then plan and schedule operations, materials and capacity
- Manage purchasing, warehousing, inventory and materials handling
- Coordinate transportation and distribution
- Compare manufacturing strategies and types of production, and describe manufacturing processes and materials
- Manage quality, inspection, metrology and maintenance, and apply lean, waste management and continuous improvement
Course outline: 5 modules
Each module below shows what it covers and what you will be able to do at the end of it.
1. Introduction to Manufacturing and Operations Management
Business formation and strategy, business functions and activities, management, and supply chains and customer service; 10% of the exam.
- Explain business formation and business strategy
- Describe business functions, activities and management
- Link supply chains to customer service
2. Operations Planning and Scheduling
Forecasting and demand management, planning and scheduling, materials planning and capacity planning; 15% of the exam.
- Forecast and manage demand
- Plan and schedule operations
- Plan materials and capacity
3. Materials Management
Purchasing and warehousing, inventory management and materials handling, and transportation and distribution; 25% of the exam.
- Manage purchasing and warehousing
- Manage inventory and materials handling
- Coordinate transportation and distribution
4. Manufacturing and Manufacturing Processes
Manufacturing and technology, manufacturing strategies, types of production, and manufacturing processing and materials; 30% of the exam.
- Relate manufacturing to technology
- Compare manufacturing strategies and types of production
- Describe manufacturing processing and manufacturing materials
5. Manufacturing and Operations Support Functions
Engineering and productivity improvement, quality, inspection, metrology and maintenance, lean and waste management, and continuous improvement; 20% of the exam.
- Apply engineering to improve productivity
- Manage quality, inspection, metrology and maintenance
- Apply lean and waste management
- Drive continuous improvement
Programme details
| Final exam | 100 multiple-choice questions in 180 minutes, taken online and iProctored. |
|---|---|
| Pass mark | 60% on the final exam. |
| Practice exams | One practice exam per module: 30 minutes, 10 multiple-choice and 10 true/false questions, self-assessed. |
| Exam options | Sit the exam at programme end with the delivering knowledge partner, or book a proctored exam later; online needs a laptop, webcam and internet. |
| Retakes | One free retake: the second attempt is free within 45 days; third and fourth attempts require waits of 30 and 45 days. |
| Certificate | Digital certificate with verifiable credentials on passing, plus a shareable digital badge; a paper certificate can be requested separately. |
| Validity | Valid for 3 years; maintained through continuing education, with 300 Certification Maintenance Points (CMP) per three-year cycle. |
| Membership | Five-year professional VCARE membership is included. |
| Materials | Body of Knowledge (BoK), exam preparation workshop and practice exam access for each module. |
| Eligibility | No age, experience, degree or coursework requirements apply to VCARE education programmes. |
Your path to CPIA certification
- Enquire and choose your format. Classroom in Cairo, live online, or an in-house cohort for your team.
- Learn the five modules with practitioners. 42 hours over 7 weeks, every live session recorded on our learning platform.
- Practise module by module. A self-assessed practice exam for each module (10 multiple-choice and 10 true/false questions in 30 minutes), plus question banks on our platform.
- Sit the final exam. 100 multiple-choice questions in 180 minutes, online and iProctored, with a pass mark of 60%. Sit it at the end of the programme or book a proctored exam later; the second attempt is free within 45 days.
- Receive your CPIA certificate. A digital certificate with verifiable credentials and a shareable badge, valid for 3 years and maintained with 300 Certification Maintenance Points per cycle. Five years of VCARE membership are included.
- Build on it. Continue with Certified Forecaster and Demand Planner (CFDP) or Certified Demand Driven Planner (CDDP).
What you walk away with
- A planning and operations method you can apply the next working day, from the demand forecast to the production schedule
- The VCARE Academy Certified Production and Inventory Analyst (CPIA) certificate and digital badge, valid for 3 years
- Five years of professional VCARE membership
- Recordings of every live session, the VCARE Body of Knowledge, practice exams and question banks on our learning platform
- Support until exam day, then a clear next step to CFDP or CDDP
Want the full picture?
The CPIA brochure has the complete module outline, exam facts and delivery options in one PDF.
Download the CPIA brochure (PDF) Enquire about the next cohort
How you will learn
- Classroom: Interactive sessions at our training and exam centre in Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.
- Live online: Instructor-led virtual classes for participants anywhere in the region.
- In-house: A private cohort for your team, at your premises and tailored to your context.
- Every live session recorded: Watch any session again, or catch up on one you missed, on our learning platform.
- Official study material: Books, handbooks and course files for the programme, in one place.
- Question banks and module tests: Exam-style practice with instant results.
- Support until exam day: Keep studying on the platform after the live sessions end, right up to the exam.
Exam and certification
VCARE Academy
| Exams | One final exam, plus a self-assessed practice exam per module |
|---|---|
| Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Exam time | 180 minutes |
| Pass mark | 60% |
| Where you sit it | Online, iProctored |
| Certificate | Digital certificate and badge, valid for 3 years |
Who should attend
- Supply chain operations staff
- Production planners
- Procurement executives
- Supervisors, managers and department heads
Frequently asked questions
What is the CPIA course?
Builds understanding of the business environment and manufacturing's role in it, covering manufacturing in the 21st-century supply chain, planning and scheduling, manufacturing strategies, engineering materials, and materials management and industrial engineering support functions.
Who should take CPIA?
It suits: Supply chain operations staff; Production planners; Procurement executives; Supervisors, managers and department heads.
How long is the CPIA course at Transights?
42 hours, 7 weeks. It runs live online, in class in Cairo, or in-house for company teams in Egypt and the GCC.
What is the CPIA exam like?
One final exam, plus a self-assessed practice exam per module. 100 multiple-choice questions. Exam time: 180 minutes. Pass mark: 60%. Where you sit it: Online, iProctored. Digital certificate and badge, valid for 3 years.
Who awards the CPIA certification?
VCARE Academy awards the certification. Transights is an approved partner of VCARE Academy.