Top reasons for a career in Supply Chain at any level of experience

Amazon's recent $13.7 billion purchase of Whole Foods is a game changer to the way we shop but also to the supply chain. Disruption can often lead to job growth and career opportunities for those willing to take them and the supply chain has seen a great deal of this change recently.

Since this field is comprised of seven functional areas:  Purchasing, Manufacturing, Inventory Management, Demand Planning, Warehousing, Transportation, and Customer Service, the opportunities are vast. Additionally, there are so many companies involved in the supply chain (ex. UPS, Fedex, Procter and Gamble, Apple, Tesla etc.), and so many different types of jobs, it creates a career that allows the employee flexibility to continuously learn new things and contribute to their company in different ways. My 20+ year career as a supply chain professional has afforded me many opportunities for professional development and advancement, financial stability, and keeps me curious and engaged. From my first position as a marketing analyst at a warehousing transportation company, to my current role in demand planning at a candy company, I have had the opportunity to hold over 10 different jobs at six different companies. Each experience providing me the chance to learn something new and exciting. You can learn more about roles available in supply chain at:  https://www.supplychain4me.com/supply-chain-careers

There are many avenues for getting involved in supply chain at any level of experience. Please find a brief overview for students and recent graduates, experienced professionals, and those transitioning to new careers.

Students and Recent Graduates 
It is exciting to see how the profession continues to grow from my days as an undergraduate. While there is no pre set curriculum for those interested in a career in supply chain, it is important for students to fully understand what area of supply chain they hope to pursue, and the specific educational requirements needed for the job to be filled. Top supply chain undergraduate programs can be found here:  https://supplychain4me.com/news/top-supply-chain-undergraduate-programs 

Internships, rotation programs, and networking enable recent graduates to secure jobs after graduation. The high demand for supply chain professionals is another reason the job outlook is positive.  

Experienced Professionals
Companies understand the value of a strong supply chain and are focusing on hiring more people. Experienced professionals will have held many different types of roles within these companies - planning, procurement, customer service, IT, finance, and human resources - making their skillset marketable to many different type of companies to work for, ex. manufacturing, consulting, etc. Whether a transfer, promotion or lateral move brought the customer service supervisor to their current role, their previous experience as a logistics manager in warehousing will be valuable as they understand strategy, delivery and resolution management.