Knowledge is Power

There are 13,000 unfilled supply chain positions nationwide, according to recent labor surveys. I think there are more. A lot more. To fill those positions, we need young professionals who possess the knowledge and skills necessary to manage the supply chains of the future.

Schools and universities are doing their part to develop curriculums that focus on hard and soft skills (see Building the Skill Set that Lands the Job, page 40) You can do your part, too, by transferring the skill set you’ve cultivated over the years to the next generation of logistics practitioners.

But how do you do that? Are you in? Here are a few ideas:

Offer internships. Paid or unpaid opportunities enable interested students to gain experience and learn from the best: you.

 


Speak up. Many schools and colleges seek input from the business community. Supply chain is hot right now; get involved and guide people to a great career.

Get on board. Can you find corporate resources to support learning institutions? To support your alma mater?

Become a mentor. Participate in industry organizations that offer opportunities to mentor young supply chain talent.

Inbound Logistics has a special affinity for promoting logistics education that dates back to our genesis, which was wrapped around advancing what was, at the time, a new business concept known as demand-driven logistics. In 1981, our mission was to reach practitioners set in their ways. To promote demand-driven logistics to the next generation of business professionals, we began working with many colleges and universities. Today, we also provide you with several ways to share your knowledge so others will benefit from the day-to-day experience you’ve painstakingly acquired over the years.

Dialog provides the space to share your unique perspectives with thousands of readers interested in broadening their logistics skills.

Good Question solicits opinions on the hottest topics impacting supply chain management and logistics.

Logistics surveys presented by Inbound Logistics give you an amplified forum to weigh in on the challenges and opportunities facing supply chain managers.

Guest columns offer an open invitation to submit an opinion piece.

Podcasts offer a popular forum to speak directly to younger professionals.

LinkedIn promotes robust business logistics discussions and comments.

To be successful, all these valuable knowledge-transfer channels require the support of professionals just like you who take the time to ensure others looking to learn more have the opportunity to do so.

It has been said that knowledge is power. I believe that is true. That means your logistics knowledge, when shared, becomes even more powerful.