Operations Management OPM2

Holland Code: E (Enterprising)

What academic skills do I need to be successful in the program?

This list does not replace the admission requirements you must have for admission to the program. Please see website for details.

• This is a graduate certificate program meaning applicants need to have a college diploma or bachelor’s degree or relevant work experience to be eligible for the program.
• It is highly recommended that students be proficient in the following areas before entry into the program:  Mathematics, Business Communication and Computer applications, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• The program involves a significant amount of group work, applicants should have the ability to work in teams.

What personal qualities should someone interested in this career have?

• Leadership skills
• Good analytical skills
• A commitment to customer satisfaction
• The ability to think logically and critically and solve problems
• The willingness to take responsibility
• The ability to make important decisions
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• The ability to diplomatically resolve conflicts or disputes
• The ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Self-directed, self-motivated, takes initiative
• The ability to work well under pressure and deal with unexpected situations calmly and effectively
• The ability to handle stressful situations and frequent deadlines
• The ability to make sound ethical decisions

Useful background experience for this program would be

Operations management experience, logistics and supply chain management experience, customer service experience, quality management experience, project management experience, contract law experience, employee relations experience.

What kind of work could I do when I graduate?

Graduates of this program may go on to become a

Plant manager, operations analyst, quality manager, supply chain manager and planner, process improvement consultant, warehouse operations manager, materials manager, operations manager, manufacturing manager, production scheduler, facilities manager, logistics manager, or purchasing manager.

Places you may find yourself employed include

Manufacturing, service sector, government, retail, food industry.

Typical working conditions for this kind of work:

• Jobs can be performed in a variety of locations including factory floors, construction sites,  food service settings, hospital floors and office environments.,
• Travel is sometimes required
• May work long hours, weekends, shift work and overtime.

Tasks a graduate may do in the workplace

• Design of goods and services
• Manage quality
• Process and capacity design
• Location strategy
• Layout strategy
• Human resources and job design
• Supply-chain management
• Inventory, material requirements planning and Jit (just-in-time)
• Intermediate and short-term scheduling
• Maintenance

Helpful links for further research into this Fanshawe College program and career opportunity

• ASCM, the Association for Supply Chain Management (www.ascm.org). Fanshawe College has a student Chapter of ASCM.
• Standards Council of Canada (www.scc.ca)
• Institute for Supply Management (ISM) (www.instituteforsupplymanagement.org)
• Project Management Institute (PMI) (www.pmi.org)
• Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (www.cscmp.org)
• Fanshawe’s library has prepared a subject guide for current students in this program. You may find the links and information provided very useful in learning more about this career.

Opportunities for further development or education

• Graduates may be qualified to apply for Fanshawe College graduate certificates.
• Graduates have opportunities to transfer credits to a university degree program

The National Occupation Classification (NOC) system is used by the Canadian government to provide detailed information on careers. Click on the links below to learn more about careers associated with this Fanshawe College program. Please note: These codes are listed here for information purposes only. Fanshawe College does not guarantee graduates careers in these fields.

NOC Code 0114 Other administrative service managers
NOC Code 0911 Manufacturing managers

The Working in Canada website is an excellent resource for labour market information (wages, jobs available). Go to the website, type in the NOC code from this program and your postal code to get detailed information.

Last Modified: January 19, 2024