Three years ago, the global and national supply chain was not a typical part of everyday conversation — supply chains operated behind the scenes. However, recent material shortages, port bottlenecks, global conflict, and other major disruptions have put the supply chain in the headlines and at the top of many consumers’ minds.
At the same time, spending has surged, and demand for products — both online and in retail settings — has skyrocketed, and many institutes of higher education are seeing an uptick in students interested in pursuing a supply chain-related career. According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, degrees in supply chain and related areas are also becoming more attractive to employers. The survey showed that more than half of participating employers would hire an individual with a supply chain-focused degree.
There is no better time than the present to pursue a supply chain career. Because of ongoing labor shortages, many enterprises are going to great lengths to recruit new talent. Not only are businesses providing incentives to get more talent on board, but they are also being encouraged to rethink their hiring strategies and provide opportunities to individuals with various professional backgrounds — resulting in more candidates and more career openings for those eager to work.
The supply chain involves the network of people, systems, and resources engaged in delivering goods and/or services to the consumer. As materials and products make their way through the supply chain on their journey to the consumer and end-user, a wide variety of industries and professional fields are involved each step of the way:
- Demand planning
- Manufacturing
- Quality management
- Warehouse management
- Transportation (including by road, air, and sea)
- Logistics management
- Finance
An individual looking to enter the supply chain field may also consider employment at a third-party organization that provides critical supply chain assets, such as a pallet pooling company. iGPS offers a wide variety of career opportunities, including analysts, system administrators, drivers, material handlers, and more. iGPS also offers a tuition reimbursement program to provide financial assistance to employees that wish to further their education and has made investments in training and professional development programs for all employees.
With disruptions and shortages forecasted to continue, it is imperative that logistics companies, manufacturers, and retailers replenish lost staff while also building their ranks to meet increasing consumer demand. The industry, and the wide range of rewarding career opportunities, are expected to keep growing.
Companies committed to creating more optimized and efficient supply chains use plastic pallets from iGPS, which are lightweight, recyclable, and help streamline your supply chain. For more information, contact us at 1-866-557-0047, email a specialist at switch@igps.net, or visit our contact page.
