CPIM Exam Pass Rates and How You Can Improve Yours

Getting your CPIM exam has long been the way to certify your knowledge, not just in product management, but in inventory management, purchasing, supply chain management, and operations management. The APICS website puts it succinctly:

“The APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) program validates a professional’s ability to understand and evaluate production and inventory activities within a company’s global operations.” – from APICS.org

Having said it that way, it’s no wonder that more than 93,000 people have pursued this designation in the past 40 years or so. But with its grueling 5-part structure and its in-depth coverage of various aspects of supply chain management, the CPIMs have people wondering: Am I up to the challenge?

The Good News about CPIM Exam Pass Rates

Thanks to the thorough folks at APICS, we can give you this assurance: most of the people who take their CPIM exams are, indeed, up to the challenge. Here is the data for the past four years, broken down by subject:

• 
  Basics of Supply Chain Management, 73%


• 
  Master Planning of Resources, 71%


• 
  Detailed Scheduling and Planning, 75%


• 
  Execution and Control of Operations, 66%


• 
  Strategic Management of Resources, 61%


• 
  Total Overall, 66%

The most recent year, 2012, shows these statistics:

• 
  Basics of Supply Chain Management, 74%


• 
  Master Planning of Resources, 71%


• 
  Detailed Scheduling and Planning, 65%


• 
  Execution and Control of Operations, 70%


• 
  Strategic Management of Resources, 51%


• 
  Total Overall, 62%

To pass your CPIM exams, you need a total of 300 points or more. While these exams are designed to be competitive, careful study and a few test-taking strategies can help you prepare and succeed. While it’s by no means uncommon for folks to fail – nearly 5 out of 10 struggled with that Strategic Management of Resources section – it’s even more common for them to pull through.

In my experience, the first module was the least challenging due to the fact that its more of an overview of the entire content outline and less focused overall. I scored a 309 on that first go-around, but my scores slowly dwindled down towards the 300 cutoff with each exam going forward. My trend, and the trend of pass rates above, seem to be correlated; make sure your focus and effort improve as you progress through the modules and you’ll do just fine.

So be inspired, not intimidated, by the pass rates of these CPIM exams. Others in the industry have succeeded by means of advance study and preparation; we’re confident that you can too!

Source by Peter Joseph Murphy

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