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The Future of Supply Chain Jobs

Posted by [email protected] on Dec. 7, 2021  /  Subscribe 0

Have you been watching the news lately? What do you hear about? Supply chain. Yep, it's the story of the year, and everyone is scratching their heads trying to figure out what to do about it. The world has awakened to the reality of supply chains, and the pandemic created chaos in what was otherwise a reasonably sedate, mundane part of the manufacturing world. Times have changed, and intelligent operators understand that you get paid well for being there when you go where the demand is.

Wait, What?

While all those folks are scratching their heads trying to figure out what to do, why not take steps to solve the problem and make a career for yourself? The supply chain covers a large amount of territory. A career in supply chain management or logistics should be a good career path for a long time. The days of the old purchasing manager sitting at his desk shuffling purchase orders and dealing with unresponsive vendors are long gone. Now it's the world of analytical software that determines the likelihood your order will be filled on time, in total, and at the agreed price.

The Future Looks Bright 

Look around you, and you'll see the results of a supply chain manager's efforts. It takes talent to identify, vet, communicate, and establish a relationship with a vendor. If the company you work for sources parts for its products from all over the globe, chances are you've got quite a list of items to fill, a limited budget to fill it with, and a schedule that dictates it be filled ASAP. Computer training helps with education in other subjects like inventory control, transportation logistics, customer support, vendor certification, and a hundred other disciplines under the supply chain or logistics title. The fact is that there are so many positions within the industry; there’s no limit to the positions, locations, and companies that you can work with.

Next Step

It's the career you want, so now what? Once you've decided to investigate the opportunities further, it's time to line out what you need to do to get in and get going. That means getting educated. But don't worry, it's the kind of thing you can do as you learn and learn as you do. Organizations like the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) provide education and many other resources that help folks in the supply chain side of the world. From beginners to seasoned veterans already in the industry, the people at ASCM help anyone and everyone get in the game in a significant way. With many years of experience educating, networking, and supporting professionals in the field, ASCM is a valuable resource for anyone interested in, working in, or gaining certifications for supply chain management and logistics support.

5 Reasons To Get Into Supply Chain

Given the current situation concerning supply chains and the imminent need for professionals who can solve the current problem and the problems the future holds, a career in supply chain management and logistics makes a lot of sense. Let's examine what the world of a person in supply chain and logistics looks like:

1. 95% of all Supply Chain professionals kept their jobs during the pandemic.
2. The average median salary for a supply chain professional in 2020 was $86,000 (not including bonuses).
3. The average starting salary for a supply chain newbie is $60,000.
4. There are supply chain positions available in every city, every country, and continent on the planet.
5. After finishing school, the average graduate secured a position within 1 to 3 months.

Beat the Rush

The truth is that convincing folk to get on board with supply chain management, or logistics isn't very hard. Once people see what they can achieve, where they can achieve it, and what life is like once they are in supply chain management, they have difficulty deciding which discipline to study. There are a lot of choices, such as:

1. Supply Chain Analyst - Analyze data about pricing, productivity, and resources
2. Supply Chain Strategist - Develop and implement financial analysis processes to improve product cycles and reduce costs
3. VP of Supply Chain - Define short and long terms goals as well as oversee supply planning, sourcing, and logistics groups
4. Chief Supply Chain Officer - Monitors the global supply chain situation and leads the entire supply chain team
5. Supplier Quality Engineer - Ensure all acquired products meet specifications for manufacturing
6. Technical Buyer - Screening materials supplied by resource vendors and negotiating prices and terms
7. Director of Supplier Management - Oversight of procurement and vendor resources.
8. VP of Procurement - E-suite position responsible for everything dealing with sourcing, production, and delivery of finished products
9. International Logistics Manager - Coordinating acquisition, transportation, and stocking materials from offshore vendors
10. VP of Transportation - Getting what is needed from its source and then getting it across the land or ocean and through customs

You're Wasting Time

The time for entry into supply chain management is right now. As companies struggle to re-establish supply lines from the vendors left after the pandemic, the need for supply chain professionals has never been greater. More importantly, as the market is excellent, so are the rewards for joining the battle to find quality suppliers. The jobs are out there and available. All it takes is a little investigation, discovery, and a big desire to do something valuable, meaningful, and lucrative. The resources are available, affordable, and ready to get you to work. All it requires is foresight, desire, and taking the first step. 

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