By Dr. Robert Gordon
Program Director, Reverse Logistics Management at American Public University
As technology continues to improve logistics, the number of jobs in the supply chain field is rapidly expanding. Amazon has announced that it will hire 120,000 people for its new distribution operations and UPS has announced it will hire 95,000 people for the holidays.
Although some of these jobs are seasonal, these organizations will convert many of these roles into permanent positions. Historically, 37% of seasonal hires become permanent. Amazon and UPS represent 80,000 or more permanent jobs that are supply chain related. If both companies are looking to hire more than 200,000 people, consider how many new jobs can be expected in the entire field of logistics.
New Jobs Expected in Supply Chain Field and Related Fields
The supply chain field is exploding with new jobs. Anyone interested in this field should seek an advanced degree in supply chain or a related field such as transportation, logistics, contracting or reverse logistics.
Considering how many new jobs in the supply chain field will become available, thousands of these jobs may be in management and technology. With the expected growth in the supply chain field as expressed by just Amazon and UPS, consider all the resources that these new employees will require. They will need computers, handheld scanners, networks, smart phones, vehicles, warehouse equipment and uniforms, as well as various systems to support their tasks within an organization. All of these items must be purchased, leased, rented or otherwise procured, so more supply chain jobs will be created to fill these needs.
More contracts will be created due to the growth of organizations, buildings, warehouses and the materials necessary for successful operations. There will be more need for contract management jobs.
Project Management Jobs Expected to Expand
To keep growth on track, organizations need project managers, both now and in the future. New talent will bring in innovations through new ideas, new systems and new operations to keep companies in business. People with the right skills and talent can grow within these companies as they help their organizations expand and become more profitable.
An advanced degree puts skilled people in a position to capitalize on this growth. The more people who can innovate within an organization, the more value they bring to that organization. Demand for people with highly advanced skill sets will continue to rise. It will also help you develop new skills and improve existing ones.
As organizations seek to utilize new technologies such as drones and autonomous vehicles, innovation is vital. People with new ideas will be poised to capture better jobs in expanding areas. As more organizations seek to profit from new technologies, new jobs in the field of logistics should continue to grow.
If you are interested in this field, start your education right away to be part of this new wave in the supply chain field. The supply chain field will continue to evolve and create new opportunities along the way.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Gordon has 25 years of professional experience in supply chain and human resources. Robert has earned a Doctorate of Management and Organizational Leadership, an MBA and a B.A. in History. He has authored over 100 published articles, including five books covering a variety of business topics.
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