Business Operations Program Covers Wide Range of Topics

In order to understand specific areas of business, students must first have a base in general business concepts. At Centennial College's Business Operations program, not only do students obtain skills to succeed in an operations career in any business that provides goods or service but they also learn essential basic concepts. That’s thanks to the first three semesters of the Business Operations program being comprised of courses common among other programs in the School of Business. Among these basic business courses are: Strategies for Business Success, Fundamentals of Business, Microcomputer Applications Software, Mathematics of Finance, Financial Accounting and more.

Students of the Business Operations program then move onto learning the skills specific to this area of business. Among the topics covered are: business processes to improve productivity, developing and implementing quality management programs, applying team approach principles to analyze operations problems and developing solutions as well as enhancing the performance of the firm's supply chain. To ensure that students are grasping concepts, practices are taught through hands-on projects and assignments that simulate those undertaken in actual business settings.

Specific courses within the Business Operations program include: Standards and Measures (intended to explain to students what productivity is, how to improve it using methods improvement techniques and how to measure productivity to set standards); International Business Concepts (gives students a broad overview of international trade, the macro-environment within which international business takes place, and the major strategic decisions facing international business managers); Materials Management (emphasis is on how to increase system credibility by maintaining data integrity, solving commonly encountered problems and developing performance measurement criteria); and more.

In addition to their supply chain management courses, throughout their two years in the Business Operations program, students also develop a portfolio documenting their engagement with the College's signature global citizenship and equity competencies.

Once they graduate from the Business Operations program, students may enter careers as quality control technicians, inventory analysts, buyers, planning and scheduling coordinators and logistics coordinators. Should they wish to continue their education, qualified graduates may be eligible to participate in an articulated program with selected universities, institutes and professional associations. These partnerships allow graduates to apply academic credit towards further study. The Business Operation program’s partners are: Algoma University, Davenport University, Royal Roads University, University of New Brunswick.

The Business Operations program is affiliated with: the Canadian Association for Production and Inventory Control, SAP University Alliance and Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council.

Business Operations program applicants are required to possess at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They are also required to have Compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11C, M or U, or 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Business Operations Program Employs Hands-on Approach

"Basically, students come into this [Business Operations program] not knowing a great deal, in some cases, about business operations management — particularly those students who come in directly from high school," says Richard Hadden, an instructor at Centennial College's School of Business. "Fifty per cent of our students come in directly from the workforce and they're very familiar with business operations. But when they leave, they'll leave with an equal level of knowledge. The truth is there are not enough business operations managers in Canada. When our students graduate, 90 per cent of our students get high paying jobs within six months of graduation."

This testimonial from Richard Hadden not only demonstrates that this Business Operations program is suited for anyone — regardless of experience — but also that there is a demand for those trained in this area. In fact, graduates go onto work as: quality control technicians, inventory analysts, buyers, planning and scheduling coordinators, and logistics coordinators. Additionally, graduates may find careers in specific areas such as: operations planning and scheduling, purchasing, logistics, supply chain management, quality, productivity improvement, direct labour supervision and other key operations responsibilities.

Students of the Business Operations program also have the option to pursue further education upon graduation by applying to articulated programs with selected universities, institutes and professional associations. These partnerships allow graduates to apply academic credit towards further study. The Business Operation program's partners are: Algoma University, Davenport University, Royal Roads University, University of New Brunswick.

In order to get students to the point where they are fully prepared for whatever they may choose to do after graduation, the Business Operations program covers a number of vital topics through hands-on projects and assignments that simulate those undertaken in actual business settings.

Before they begin to learn advanced Business Operations program topics, students first become comfortable with general business topics by attending three semesters of courses that are common among other programs in the School of Business. Once they are comfortable, Business Operations program students go on to master: operations planning and scheduling, purchasing, logistics, supply chain management, quality, productivity improvement, direct labour supervision and other key operations responsibilities, generating recurring income, increasing the value of business and securing the income and value of the business, analyzing business processes to improve productivity, developing and implementing quality management programs, applying team approach principles to analyze operations problems and developing solutions as well as enhancing the performance of the firm's supply chain.

To apply for the Business Operations program, applicants are required to have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They are also required to have Compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11C, M or U, or 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Become an Expert by Attending Centennial College’s Business Operations Program

We all know that business’ main function is to make a profit by selling products and services to a clientele. Well, the main function of business operations is to create and manage these products and services to satisfy the customers. If you have an interest in helping to run a business in order to produce value for the stakeholder, then business operations may just be for you. But, first, you’ll have to attend a business operations program at a post-secondary institution and obtain the required credentials to be able to take on tasks such as: generating recurring income, increasing the value of business and securing the income and value of the business.

Within Business Operations are a number of positions such as Quality Control Technicians, Inventory Analysts, Buyers, Planning and Scheduling Coordinators and Logistics Coordinators. Naturally, all of these positions have their own unique duties. For example, one of the most hands-on positions is that of a Logistics Coordinator who oversees the unloading of supplies in a warehouse or loading dock. He or she also supervises the packing of purchased products into tractor-trailers and ensuring prompt delivery of merchandise to customer locations. Another hands-on position is a Quality Control Tech, who manages quality-assurance, tests products and records, and analyzes results data during product development and manufacturing. If, however, you are more of an office person, the Inventory Analyst position may be better suited for you. This person develops and implement all policies, procedures, systems and best practices in regard to inventory, for the purpose of maintaining accurate financial information. Following a thorough analysis of a company’s current inventory policies, he or she identifies any deficiencies and inefficiencies, making recommendations along the way.

Attending Centennial College’s Business Operations program is an excellent way to get your foot in the door. The program takes two years to complete and results in a respected Ontario College Diploma. The first three semesters of the business operations undertaking consist of common courses among other programs in the School of Business to provide an industry overview before specialization. However, once the program becomes specialized, students attend courses such as: Materials Management, Productivity: Standards and Measures, Purchasing and Supply Management with SAP and more. Through these supply chain management courses, you will learn everything from operations planning and scheduling, purchasing, logistics, supply chain management and quality to productivity improvement, direct labour supervision and other key operations responsibilities.

To apply for the Business Operations program, you will must hold at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. You’ll also be required to have Compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11C, M or U, or 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent.