A Management Degree/Diploma in Operations is considered an essential qualification for operations managers in any industry. The course provides a thorough understanding of operations management framework and helps the candidate understand the functions and practices of production and operations of a business.

Operations Management can be further divided into the following sub categories
• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing process management
• Warehousing management
• Inventory management
• Quality management
• Resources & Development (R&D) management

The curriculum of Operations Management course covers various topics including, but not limited to, strategic operations alignment and integration, logistics management, supply chain management, project management, new product development, investment portfolio analysis, purchasing and vendor management, quality management and risk management.

The training gives focus on understanding the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Value Chain Analysis, and different aspects of outsourcing and off-shoring. As part of understanding the operations management, candidates are taught on different aspects of business process improvement (BPI). The concept of “Lean Manufacturing” is included as part of most of the Operations Management courses.

Like other management courses, Operations Management course is offered to graduates in any discipline. Some of the colleges offer Management degree/diploma to working professionals looking for better prospects in their Management career.

The eligibility tests may vary from one college to the other. Most MBA institutes assess the students on the basis of an entrance test that tests their quantitative, verbal and analytical skills. Some of these institutes absorb students based on the Common Admission Test (CAT) score while others conduct their own tests. The aptitude test may be followed by group discussion (GD) and personal interview (PI). The final selection will be based on the cumulative scores obtained in all these tests.

In the beginning, the candidate may be absorbed as entry-level managers in different levels of operations in a company. After gaining significant experience in the relevant field, they will be promoted to either of the following posts: Operations Managers,
Supply Chain Managers, Production Managers, Warehousing Managers, Inventory Managers, Project Managers, R&D Managers, Quality Managers, and more depending on the nature of the business.

While the entry level managers may earn anywhere between Rs.20,000 to 40,000, the senior-level offerings may fetch them a salary of Rs.1 lakh to 2 lakhs per month. The ultimate post an Operations Manager can dream of is that of a Chief Operational Officer (COO) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO).