Advancing expertise through a two-level academy

Competency profiles existed, but there was no learning path to access advanced costing and upstream collaboration.

The approach is based on three principles. Two levels, with a professional learning path and an advanced path. Graduation projects, meaning real business challenges tackled in pairs. Design-to-cost, with advanced costing integrated into daily practice.

The challenge

Growing complexity and cost pressures required more than transactional purchasing skills. Competency profiles had already been defined, but there was no coherent learning path to unlock advanced costing capabilities and upstream collaboration with engineering.

The EIPM approach

A two-level procurement academy: Level 1 (Professional) focuses on effective project management, Level 2 (Advanced) on upstream influence and design-to-cost. Each level was rooted in graduation projects centered on challenges, tackled in pairs on real business issues.

The impact

Engagement is deeper between procurement and engineering teams. Participants quickly gained knowledge and regained visibly stronger confidence. The results are solid across indirect spend (tail spend), costs, and innovation.