For a fresh entrant in Procurement/Purchasing, which form of professional training is relatively more important: Class Room or On the Job?

Both training have their own importance! The classroom training will provide the body of knowledge if its not accompanied with case studies and projects. The on job training will let the trainee know how, where and when to apply the theoretical knowledge which is gained in the classroom. 

Thanks for invitation.

A procurement entrant may be provided a basic class-room training if possible (may be for 1 to 3 months) based on candidates background) with in-depth understanding of the following issues.

1.  Ethics, negotiation and leadership( Management)

2. Economies of scale, factors of production,  inflation, foreign exchange market (Economics)

3. Market Research  and Quality assurance(Operations) 

4. Payment Terms, Incoterms, budgeting (Finance)

5. Procurement manual  of the organization/ or Standard procurement guidelines.

This is a very standard approach. If the standard training is not possible, the entrant shall be guided to study all of above under supervision of a mentor or senior for 1 to 3 months.

 

With the above noted knowledge, the procurement entrant shall be attached to a procurement officer for about 3 months for on the job  training and shall work as helper and learner

Hope, this  total investment of 6 months is quite worthwhile to bring in excellent benefits in terms of output and efficiency after 6 months.

On the job with a mentor. That proved to work best for my team. Classroom should be done only for specific skills (e.g. The Gap trainings in negotiation skills).

On job training under an experienced senior is more effective than any kind of training, after all learning is a continuous process we learn more while we work. On job training is superior to class room training in many aspects.

1st classroom if possible Then on job training

For fresh entrant (without procurement training) on the job training and experience will take more time to become strategic procurer.

However, classroom trained fresh entrant will apply strategic procurement tools on job to become strategic procurer in lesser time.

 

To become master in procurement role person has to achieve level of strategic procurer.

 

Hope this answers your question

Procurement profile is more into process oriented, its better to give some download on the process in class room and then put him on job training.

Both are true. Education in the classroom allows for all to identification of logistics procurement and purchasing procedures for each process. knowledge is the first step to have a job. But at work you get closer to more procurement processes and procedures. by how to and when to start. both are complete each other.

On Job Sir... As like No one can learn swimming until gets in the ocean or sea.

The theoretical is important as it provides the new member the process requirements from an analytical perspective. The OJT (on the job training), will provide the localised process requirements. One without the other will not provide sufficient depth or background to provide inputs to process development.

On the job, of course, because there are some aspects in procurement that only can be acquired by practicing. For instance, in classroom, they don't teach you what are the stages of purchasing? or the types of solicitation documents to purchase goods/services. So, it's important that you get job training as it's by far the best way to obtain knowledge in your career.