A Bright Future in Supply Chain Management

A Bright Future in Supply Chain Management

So for those heading to an institution of higher education this year in a Supply Chain Management program, the future looks bright…very bright. With such a high level of employment opportunities at companies like Universal, and an equally high placement rate, the work is plentiful.

Even better, perhaps, is the outlook for earnings. Compared to the median starting salary of bachelor degree graduates in 2017 across a variety of industries, Supply Chain Management undergrads average 10.5% to 50.6% higher earnings in starting their first industry job.

Moreover, for those in the earlier stages of their careers, the median average salary for logistics managers with only three to five years of experience is $97,000, up 11.5% over the previous year, according to Logistics Management’s 2017 Salary Survey.

Best of all, beyond all of the impressive numbers, Supply Chain Management work is interesting – offering many areas of expertise, including transportation management, logistics, inventory and warehouse management, lean and quality practices, distribution, shipping and receiving, customer relations, facilities management, and more. The Supply Chain Management sky is nearly limitless for career-minded individuals.

According to Joe Goryl, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc., “Supply Chain Management offers many rewarding challenges to keep employees engaged and encourages out-of-the-box thinking on a daily basis. For those with business acumen who like to solve problems or simply make a real difference, it’s a tremendous discipline with outstanding, career-growth potential.”

Goryl manages teams of individuals tasked with developing innovative, People Driven Solutions to Universal’s customers’ Supply Chain Management challenges. He offers practical advice for students of Supply Chain Management, stressing the importance of real-world experience.

“It’s important to take advantage of internship opportunities, trade association-type activities, and even Supply Chain Management competition programs in order to augment your SCM education with practical experience,” said Goryl. “Graduates who can hit the ground running with demonstrated experience in solving supply chain problems will be highly desirable to companies and their recruiters.”

Lastly, Supply Chain Management students are encouraged to start building their network of professional contacts early and often. “Whether it’s looking for that first or subsequent jobs, getting solid professional, mentoring advice, or making potential customer contacts down the road in your career, it’s important to continue to build a quality network,” said Mike Bautch, Chief Customer Officer at Universal. “At the end of the day, Supply Chain Management opportunities

always begin with people.”

We hope you enjoyed our first SCM Learning Series on Supply Chain Management education and job outlook. For the full article, containing all three segments, click here.

Watch for Universal’s next SCM Learning Series on Diversity in Supply Chain Management…coming soon!