Businesses are going global, and global trade is reaching record new levels. All this is made possible by efficient supply chain management. Supply chain management professionals remove inefficiencies, ensure legal compliance, and lower costs, to help prosper trade and commerce. There are many universities in Raipur offering courses in supply chain management.
In this writing, you will learn what supply chain management is? What are the benefits of choosing supply chain management as your career? How to start your career in supply chain management? Top opportunities after getting a degree in supply chain management and much more. Which
What is supply chain management?
Supply chain management (SCM) is the application of management principles and the development of strategies for the smooth flow of goods, services, and processes from the raw material stage to final delivery.
What do supply chain managers do?
Supply chain managers monitor the company’s supply chain logistics and inventories. They also develop plans and strategies for improving the productivity and efficiency of the supply chain operations and resolving issues. Some of the critical responsibilities of supply chain managers are-
- Analyze the logistics and shipping data to find bottlenecks and other problems.
- Develop and optimize the company’s supply chain strategy.
- Identify, evaluate and monitor the KPIs.
- Identify suppliers and vendors. Negotiate and break deals with them.
- Cooperate with other units to develop a coordinated plan for supply chain management.
- Develop and implement safety guidelines and quality control standards for supply chain operations.
- Ensure compliance with laws, rules, and regulations.
Why take up supply chain management as a career?
Some of the best reasons to take supply chain management as your career are-
- Every day is unique- You will not get bored; every day, you have new issues to tackle, new areas to explore for opportunities, new people to meet, new vendors and suppliers to manage, etc.
- Good Pay- The average base pay for supply chain managers in India is around 12L/year. The pay is good, and as you get matured and experienced in the field, your salary will also rise exponentially.
- Many industries to work- Supply chain managers are in demand in industries like- e-commerce, consumer goods, textiles, food and agriculture, construction, etc. Students here will have the luxury of picking and choosing the sector to work in.
- A global job- As a supply chain manager, you have to deal with suppliers and vendors all over the globe. You may even have to travel all over the country and world to inspect and audit supplies.
- You will master many skills- During the job, you will master many crucial skills like organisation skills, negotiation skills, problem-solving skills, cost, accounting skills, relationship building skills, etc.
- Future proof job- Global trade is growing at around 10%. Opportunities for supply chain managers will only grow in future.
How to start your career in supply chain management?
Follow these steps to start your career in supply chain management-
- Join a college
The first step to building a promising career in supply chain management is to get a degree. Students can either start with a BBA (supply chain management) or an MBA specialising in supply chain management.
BBA in Supply Chain Management is a full-time three-year UG course. It helps students build up a strong foundation in business fundaments and concepts, business law, and supply chain principles.
MBA (Logistics & supply chain management) is a two-year PG course. Here students learn the analytical skills, negotiating skills, and management strategies required for managing inventory, customer service, warehouse, storage, logistics, etc. MBA is open to all graduates, and it helps students switch from other fields to supply chain management.
Some of the best institutes for supply chain management are- IIFT New Delhi, UPES Dehradun, IIM Udaipur, Kalinga university in Raipur, etc. Many good colleges are there for BBA and MBA (supply chain management) all over India. Students can find good MBA colleges in Raipur, Delhi, Mumbai, etc., and for BBA, a good university in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Maharashtra, etc.
- Understand the subject well
During college, students should work hard to understand the subject, the principles of supply chain management, various strategies, case studies, etc. A sound theoretical background will make the application easier. Students can also select their fields in supply chain management like- Supply Chain Planning, Operations Management, Distribution Management, Supply Management, etc.
Apart from theory, students should also develop organisational skills, negotiating skills, business writing skills, relationship management skills, etc.
- Internship
Internships are your first step in getting hands-on experience and good working knowledge about supply chain management. Good internships can make your profile shine during job interviews. Many internships offer further turn into full-time job opportunities, so do make efforts to get a good internship offers from the company of your choice.
Students can also use internships to widen their professional network. An excellent professional network will help you find lucrative job opportunities and get placed quickly.
- Get placed
Being part of a good college helps you get good placement offers. Students should work to get campus placements, as they are the easiest and fastest way to get a job. Students can also look for off-campus offers; they can directly apply to companies or search for opportunities on LinkedIn, etc.
Top recruiters are- Accenture, Amazon, Flipkart, P&G, HUL, etc.
Top opportunities after getting a degree in supply chain management
After gaining their degrees, students can look for the following opportunities-
- Private firms
Students can get the following roles- purchase manager, supply chain manager, warehousing manager, materials analyst, strategic planner, etc. It’s best to start your career working with a firm to gather sufficient experience.
- Entrepreneurship
After gaining sufficient experience, students can also start their own ventures in supply chain logistics. Some of India’s successful supply chain start-ups are Shiprocket, Delhivery, Ecom Express, etc.
- Work abroad
As economies and businesses are going global, so are the opportunities in supply chain management. After gaining good experience and expertise, students can look for opportunities abroad. Top Destinations are- Canada, Australia, UAE, Japan, etc.
Supply chain management is one of the best fields to build a promising and lucrative career. Students looking for a future proof career with good opportunities at home and abroad should definitely consider it as a potential choice.
