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Introduction

A career in logistics and supply chain management fundamentally boils down been able to provide delivery of goods and services at the right time, to the right place, and at the right cost. While those are the fundamentals there are numerous things that present problems to achieving those three things. If you feel that you have the ability to navigate the problems to find the solutions perhaps a career in logistics and supply chain management is for you.

Qualifications

It used to be that most graduates could apply for the job, but increasingly employers are looking for graduates with a specific bachelor of science degree with either a focus or specialization in logistics. However, the career is not purely limited to those with the financial ability to study for three years. 

Organizations are now offering interested candidates the option to do an apprenticeship which can lead to positions as logistics operatives and logistics operation leaders. This is great as a recent report by City and Guilds showed that in the near future, the United Kingdom will have a shortfall of 400,000 jobs in the sector. The news is much better for other nations but other careers are also facing major shortages so if look for another career, a truck driver career may be better suited to you and just as if not more important than logistics management.

Skill Set

A career in supply chain management requires a unique skill set. This skill set has been tested and will be tested by recent and future issues facing the global supply chain. In order to conquer these challenges new candidates and those already working in the industry need to be able to be able to respond to new challenges in a calm and calculated manner. Further, to do this successfully individuals need to be able to problem solve, show skills in model prediction and forecasting, exercise negotiation skills, all well remaining calm under pressure.

Brass Tax

While it is important to find meaning in your work, here the industry has that in spades for a job well down. Logistics and supply chain managers are one of the important cogs keeping the global economy ticking. At the core of the matter, the supply chain enables businesses to provide goods and services that meet consumer expectations. Such a task requires responsibility, dedication, and discipline from potential candidates. Fortunately, the demands of the job result in competitive salaries.

In the US, the average salary for the position of logistics and supply chain manager is just over 120,000 USD and can be as high as 140,000 USD. At the low end of the spectrum for those lacking the required experience, they can expect just over 100,000 USD. As staff shortages begin to bite and demand for experienced professionals skyrockets these salaries are expected to rise substantially.

Conclusion

While it is certainly not an easy job, it is rewarding, both in terms of job satisfaction and monetarily. It is a career, due to its global importance, does demand a lot from those hired but it rewards such demands appropriately. The job also presents some unique opportunities. Look at small businesses as an example. As technology enables smaller businesses to compete and thrive against existing major corporations they still encounter supply chain issues. Skilled individuals with the necessary supply chain experience are uniquely poised to help solve these issues.