Supply Chain Foundations is free online for South Africans, with no card required. Pass the module quizzes and the final exam to earn a certificate employers can verify by QR code.
Supply Chain Foundations
From demand signals to docks. An end-to-end picture for newcomers to logistics and trade in South Africa.
Learn how products, information and cash move together across planning, inventory, procurement, transport and compliance. This free course uses plain English and South African examples so you can speak confidently in a warehouse, freight office or procurement desk — no university degree required.
6 modules · ~11.5 hours · Pass mark 70% · Free
Supply Chain & Logistics Advanced Certificate
Network design, S&OP, inventory optimisation, freight procurement and duty strategy — the decisions that move margin, not just boxes.
Step up from understanding the supply chain to running it. This advanced certificate covers distribution network design, sales and operations planning, multi-echelon inventory, freight procurement and rate negotiation, customs and duty strategy under South Africa’s trade agreements, and the cost-to-serve and working-capital numbers that finance actually asks about. Built for people already working in logistics, procurement, planning or trade who want to make and defend the expensive decisions.
6 modules · ~16 hours · Pass mark 70% · R299 once
Supply Chain Strategy, Systems and Resilience
Why the chain exists, how it is scheduled, what the systems actually own, and what happens when it breaks.
Most supply chain problems are not execution problems. They are alignment problems: a chain built for cost serving a business that competes on speed, a schedule nobody believes, four systems that disagree about what a part is called, and a continuity plan written for an auditor. This certificate covers strategic fit, end-to-end process mapping, master scheduling and MRP, what ERP, WMS and TMS each own, the five families of supply chain measure, and designing for resilience with time-to-recover and time-to-survive. For planners, analysts and managers who own an outcome rather than a task.
6 modules · ~14.5 hours · Pass mark 70% · R299 once
Warehouse & Distribution Operations
Inside the four walls — layout, slotting, picking, order fulfilment, stock accuracy and returns, for the people who run the building.
A warehouse is where supply chain strategy either works or quietly falls apart. This certificate covers warehouse layout and flow, putaway and slotting, the four picking methods and what each costs, the order-to-delivery process end to end, cycle counting and inventory accuracy, and returns and reverse logistics. Built for warehouse and distribution managers, fulfilment and e-commerce operators, and anyone who has inherited a building that was laid out by whoever got there first.
6 modules · ~14.5 hours · Pass mark 70% · R299 once
How it works
- Create a free TradeCaravan account (or sign in).
- Work through each module: a reading plus a graded quiz — 70% unlocks the next module.
- Pass the final exam (70%) to earn your certificate.
- Share the unique certificate ID and QR code — employers open a verified page. Add it to LinkedIn in one click.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Supply Chain Foundations course really free?
Yes. Enrolment, every module, the final exam and the certificate of completion are free. You only need a free TradeCaravan account so the certificate can carry your name.
How long does Supply Chain Foundations take?
About 11.5 hours of guided study across 6 modules plus a graded final exam. It is self-paced — most learners finish in two to three weeks.
What is the pass mark?
Each module quiz and the final exam need 70% to pass. You can retry unlimited times. Passing the final issues your certificate.
How do employers verify a TradeCaravan certificate?
Every certificate has a unique ID (TC-SCF-…) and a QR code. Opening /verify/{id}/ on tradecaravan.co.za shows the holder name, course, issue date and final score — no login required.
Is this an official SARS or Transnet qualification?
No. It is a TradeCaravan foundations certificate of completion. It teaches supply-chain concepts with South African context; it is not a SARS tariff determination, a Transnet licence, or a regulated professional designation.