Your Guide to Ideal Career Options for Supply Chain and Logistics Grads

You’ve aced your supply chain management courses, and that awesome new supply chain management certification is just waiting to hang on a wall in your office when you land that ideal supply chain and logistics (SCL) job.

Okay so maybe you’re still in training and it may be a few years before you’ve got an office of your own, but you get the drift. New doors in an in-demand and ever-expanding field are opening for you. You want to review the opportunities available to you so you know precisely where you should set your sights.

This blog is for you.

First, we’ve got some stellar resources for you, to get you dreaming.

• Topline Details to Inform – Your Thrilling Career in Supply Chain and Logistics – What You Should Know
• It’s All in the Timing – Leveraging Supply Chain Shortages to Launch Your In-Demand Career – in 1 Year).

And now you want to read on to learn about the specific job areas that are pillars in the industry and the various paths you can take to experience success in the field.

Your Guide to Ideal Career Options that Await You!

SCL Planning

As you can imagine, this is a foundational role and plays into nearly every stage of the supply chain. The roles in this area are vast and varied. The ideal candidate for this role is detail oriented, loves to optimize processes and support people; if you’re passionate about sustainability and streamlining, this is for you.

Responsibilities:

• Analyzing performance.
• Developing strategies for enhancing performance.
• Inventory management, including forecasting and reviewing to hit the sweet-spot on stocking).
• Streamlining processes for manufacturing.
• Planning delivery routes for optimum efficiency.
• Coordinating resources, from coworkers to warehouse and transportation assets.

Potential Career Positions and Focus:

• Logistics Resource Planner – entry level role, coordinating resources, warehouse and transportation assets and worker support.
• Load Planner – compiling customer orders and identifying ideal delivery routes.
• Supply Chain Planner – analyzing SC performance and developing strategies to improve.
• Production Planner – focus on manufacturing and production.
• Demand Planner – forecasting and estimating future needs and demands.
• Capacity Planner – beyond just production, focused on optimizing production and manufacturing capacity.

SCL Manufacturing and Production

After working in a warehouse or manufacturing capacity, you would become aware of how to upgrade efficiency. Once you have the experience and insight, you can implement your ideas within this logistics management role. If you enjoy working to perpetually enhance systems, this area could be for you.

Responsibilities:

• Researching, upgrading, and incorporating new suppliers, manufacturers, partners, and materials.
• Enhancing production schedules.
• Establishing budgets and timelines.
• Working closely with internal departments and clients.
• Streamlining processes to increase efficiency.

Potential Career Positions:

• Packaging Engineer
• Safety and Environmental Manager
• Plant Manager
• Quality Manager
• Maintenance Supervisor
• Production Warehouse Manager
• Maintenance or Production Operative, Supervisor/Manager

SCL Sourcing and Purchasing

This is an area that hones in on people, interfacing with workers, clients and managing how they effectively do their jobs and deliver. If you enjoy guiding and empowering others and are driven by maximizing profits and increasing the bottom line, this could be an ideal area for you.

Responsibilities:

• Creating contractual agreements with suppliers.
• Negotiating pricing and details of supplier services to be provided.
• Overseeing, and accountable for, the inbound transportation of purchased goods.
• Optimizing the supply chain process to drive down cost of goods and streamline inventory, to increase profit margins.

Potential Career Positions:

• Buyer
• Purchasing and Inventory Clerk
• Commodities Manager
• Category Manager
• Strategic Sourcing Manager
• Procurement Specialist

SCL Logistics and Transportation

As the visible link in the supply chain, from goods/services/information storage and movement to delivery, this is a key pillar to success in this industry. If you like hands-on work as you begin learning in the field and like to see the effects of your labour, as products make their way direct to the customer, transportation could be an ideal area for you. With a SCL diploma, this may simply be a great entry point to learn quickly and then work your way up the career chain with the knowledge you gain.

Responsibilities:

• Manual movement of goods.
• Initial warehouse work, stocking shelves.
• Overseeing transportation operations.
• Reviewing and managing inventory.

Potential Career Positions:

• Warehouse Operative/Manager
• Transportation Administrator, Supervisor, Manager
• Global Supply Chain Director
• Inventory Controller
• Reverse Logistics Manager

If you’re still exploring supply chain management programs and determining if this career path aligns with your interests, you can take our popular “Business Career Discovery Quiz”.

But if you’re ready to learn from industry experts, in class sizes that allow you access to personalized learning, and to gain hands-on experience in supply chain and logistics training, then Anderson has an incredible program for you.

Anderson College graduates of the SCL program are eligible to receive the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) certification, along with membership to the Supply Chain Management Association. Possessing these credentials obviously sets you apart from other job seekers in a competitive market.

When you’re ready to start your Supply Chain and Logistics career, we’re here to help you navigate your way! Book a virtual appointment with our Admissions team; just think, in less than one year, you could be making your way in one of these roles and, yes, even hanging that diploma on the wall in your very own office!

Quick Links to Fuel Your Success!

We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed! Check out these reference links:

• Supply Chain and Logistics Program – Anderson College
• Your Thrilling Career in Supply Chain Management
• Inspiring Student Advice
• 9 Traits to Take Your Supply Chain and Logistics Career to the Next Level
• Leveraging Supply Chain Shortages to Launch Your In-Demand Career in 1 Year