Articles
Smart Moves: Supply Chain Careers & Education Advice

Bridging the Supply Chain Gender Gap
I wasn’t the first and I won’t be the last mom to pull into a parking spot on two wheels, late for a meeting, hair soaking wet and coffee spilled down the front of my shirt. Being a working mom in supply chain isn’t for the faint of heart. But I’m not alone and the growing number of women entering this industry is encouraging.
Read MoreThe Manufacturing Workforce in 2022: Restraints, Predictions, and Implications
Manufacturers are not immune from the impact of the worker shortage that shows little to no sign of ceasing. Heres how to rebuild the talent pipeline.
Read More
It’s Time for Women in Transportation
When the pandemic first hit the United States, it wiped out millions of jobs, particularly among women who found themselves back home and coordinating everything from elderly parent medical issues to home-school activities for kids.
Read More
Crafting a Notable Job Title
A job title is more than just the name of the job you do. It is a badge, a ranking, a symbol of your worth within the particular company you work for. As the growth of the supply chain and logistics sector increases year after year, so does the competition for a notable supply chain job title.
Read More
Preparing for the New World of Work
The first, second, and third industrial revolutions were built around some form of energy: The first was fueled by steam, the second by electricity, and the third by nuclear power. Enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, powered by smart, autonomous systems that use data and machine learning as their fuel.
Read More
Five Tips to Achieve Career Success
The beauty of working within the supply chain is that it touches nearly every aspect of a business, which opens up huge career opportunities. Regardless of the career path you opt for within the supply chain, and like any job you embark on, to achieve success you need to work hard. Here are five tips […]
Read More
How to Recruit and Retain the Best Interns
If you hire summer interns, you’ve already decided where to source students. But what about the decisions around post-intern hiring?
Read More
Filling the Manufacturing Skills Gap
The manufacturing skills gap may leave a projected 2.4 million positions open in the coming decade, with a potential economic impact of $2.5 trillion. How can manufacturers prepare and fill positions with qualified individuals? What training and ongoing education strategies will enable the necessary skills? Predictive analytics and machine learning can eliminate the guesswork in […]
Read More
Three Steps to Addressing the Staffing Shortages in Manufacturing & Logistics
As baby boomers in manufacturing and logistics look toward retirement, there aren’t new workers to take their place. Millennial and Gen-Z workers just aren’t interested in the work—and, as a result, valuable jobs are being left unfilled.
Read More
Tackling the Talent Gap From the Inside Out
To address the logistics talent gap, we need to put far more emphasis—and money—on sourcing future leaders from inside our companies.
Read More
Six Ways to Develop Character in Leaders
One of my hardest days in the military came in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I was leading a Special Operations Planning Team and we were using an event tracking system to predict where, what type, and when acts of violence would occur. We predicted a huge rise in attacks with little end […]
Read More
How to Reach the Pinnacle of Success
Last year, at age 29, Daniel Kaskinen, manager, strategic sourcing at Premier Inc., became the megawatt winner of the ISM®/Thomas™ 30 Under 30 Rising Supply Stars Recognition Program. He was recognized for his exceptional success at improving efficiencies and saving millions of dollars at his previous company, even at an early point in his career. […]
Read More
Why Aren’t There More Veterans in Logistics?
Approximately 200,000 people transition out of the military each year. Reintegrating into the civilian workforce can be a challenging experience. While many of their skills directly apply to a career in logistics, veterans remain a largely untapped resource for this field. Every position in every branch of the military—from weapons deployment, to combat training, to […]
Read More
Turn to Technology to Attract the Next Generation of Workers
Supply chain stakeholders have to acknowledge the shortage of workers in the supply chain sector. An estimated 600,000 manufacturing positions in the United States are going unfulfilled due to a lack of qualified workers, according to the 2016 MHI Annual Industry Report. Additionally the survey showed that 58 percent of respondents face a significant challenge […]
Read More
5 Hacks for Recruiting in Supply Chain Management
Supply chain and logistics requires innovative, logical thinkers to be recruited in order to compete with rapid technology advancements and global expansion. Finding the right candidate for your business is a challenge that requires broad advertising, rigorous interviews, and ultimately some give and take from both sides. Not only does the individual need to be […]
Read More
Share This, Post That. How to Get Millennials on Your Team
Employment in the logistics sector is shifting as millennials are expected to make up about 75 percent of the supply chain workforce by 2025. Companies need to revamp their recruiting and interviewing practices to appeal to this generation. Companies can create the environment and experience millennials are looking for by following these five steps: 1. […]
Read More
Tackling Retail Logistics: Build Your Team First
The retail industry is changing at a faster pace now than at any other time in history. We are only at the dawn of the new world order: connected retail. Supply chain is on the front lines of the ongoing revolution. When RILA and Auburn University recently surveyed retail supply chain executives, 98 percent rated […]
Read More
Pursuing a Certificate? Learn Before You Act
People who are successful in their profession consistently challenge themselves to learn more, regularly attend professional meetings to network with peers and mentors, and seek out opportunities to expand their education. Are you thinking about pursuing a certificate or certification in the supply management profession to enhance your knowledge and improve your career possibilities? Here’s […]
Read More
Supercharging Your Supply Chain and Logistics Career
Take your logistics and supply chain career to the next level by understanding how your skills can impact an organization, networking with other industry professionals, and continuing to develop critical skills.
Read More
Supply Chain Management Takes Center Stage
The supply management function is in the spotlight as a key driver of profitability. Approximately 82 percent of all chief procurement officers (CPOs) report directly to their CEOs, according to CAPS Research. CPOs have reach, influence, and responsibilities that go far beyond the cost containment practice of the past into virtually all areas of a […]
Read More