Have you ever thought about how your grocery store, the corner deli, or your favorite restaurant got the supplies it needed to do business? As production grows in the areas of food, beverage, electronics, and packaged goods around the world, opportunities for people looking for jobs in a multitude of fields related to supply chain management and transportation are expected to increase. Many positions in the areas of logistics, technology, warehouse management, etc. are being created everyday. Many third party transportation providers are seeking talented people with skills in logistics, technology, and a host of other skills. This article will teach you some of the basic requirements needed to be competitive for a position on the transportation side of supply chain management.
What is supply chain management?
There are a number of groups or companies responsible for getting a product to a customer. Supply chain management is the organization of all those groups responsible for producing and transporting goods to a customer. People working in supply chain management are responsible for the information surrounding the production and transport of goods, in addition to the physical part of warehousing, shipping, and inventorying goods to be sold. What would it be like if you couldn’t get milk from the grocery store? Or what if no one was able to buy the newest cell phone from the local electronics retailer? Supply chain management plays a key role in international business. Companies like JDA TMS Consultants are looking for certain qualifications in people looking to create long-term careers in this growing field.
High tech solutions for delivery systems
More companies are looking to make their supply chains more efficient by re-evaluating their transport systems. Mid- to small sized companies are looking at integrating services traditionally done through manually managing multiple, daily deliveries with more high tech solutions. Companies are now doing this work via a cloud computing set-up. All they now need is a computer with access to the internet to do their work. This requires a new set of skills for logistics managers who were once managing deliveries using paper and pencil. There are even opportunities for computer programmers to find more work as the business of supply chain management becomes more efficient and customers, more demanding.
Educating yourself about your career options
As supply chain management becomes more high tech, education requirements are expected to increase. A bachelor’s degree is often the minimum needed for managerial level positions. However there may be more demand for other specialized certifications related to supply chain management. Organizations like the Association for Operations Management, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and several others offer certification programs for people interested in gaining new skills. Before investing in a certificate, be sure to do your own research to match up your career aspirations with the skills you currently have, and the ones you need improve upon. Don’t be afraid to find a mentor in the field either at your current place of employment or elsewhere so that you can ask them about whether or not the investment in the degree or certificate program is worth your time and money.
