Why Pursue a Career in Supply Chain Management?

Supply chain management is essentially the gathering of materials needed for manufacturing/production and then the distribution of those goods and services. This involves everything from procurement of materials to organizing inventories, arranging shipments, and transportation.

Supply chain management involves many steps that create needed professionals at every level. More military members have more supply chain management experience than they realize. Logistics professions that are found in the military are:

• Logistics analysts
• Fleet managers
• Inventory managers
• Transportation managers
• Supply chain managers
• Demand planners
• Quality Control
• Financial Management
• Expense Management

Because this career field focuses on enhancing operational efficiency through the seamless flow of goods, information, and services, supply chain managers are needed in every business sector from private organizations to the federal government. Creating many career options around the world with livable wages.

Career Outlook

The career outlook for those in the supply chain management/logistics career field is good. The career field seems to fare well during a recession. Careers in this field are expected to grow 28% in the next 10 years making this a growing field with strong earning potential.

Career Paths

Several career paths within the supply chain management career field don’t require a degree, military members have the basic skills needed to land those entry-level jobs. However, a bachelor’s degree or a graduate degree may be required for those seeking higher-paying jobs.

Below are examples of career paths within supply chain management and the average annual salary according to Indeed.

Annual Salaries – Supply Chain Management

Job Title                                             Average Salary

Production manager                        $68,273 per year

Safety manager                                  $75,772 per year

Maintenance manager                      $80,251 per year

Manufacturing Engineer                  $82,536 per year

Packaging engineer                            $85,284 per year

Manufacturing manager                   $85,342 per year

Plant manager                                     $96,756 per year

Vice president of operations             $149,670 per year

Vice president of manufacturing     $184,309 per year

Location always plays a role in compensation. According to Indeed.com, the average salary of a supply chain manager in Boston, MA is $127,224, while the average salary in Dallas, TX is $63,737.

Considering a career in supply chain management? Enroll now in an online supple chain management course.

How to Start Your Career

Because there is such a demand for supply chain managers, more and more schools are developing supply chain management and logistics majors. With the ability to enter the career field from all job levels, getting a degree will allow you to combine skills earned through service with the education needed for those top-paying positions. There are two options to start your career:

1)    Lean on military experience to start a career in supply chain management

2)    Backup experience gained through service to land a higher-paying job in supply chain management

Also, check out military scholarship opportunities.

Lean on Military Experience

Several staffing and recruiting companies can help place military community members into supply chain management careers around the country. Staffing and recruiting companies help job seekers directly connect with companies who are looking for them.

Military-focused staffing and recruiting companies can help career connections, provide resume assistance, and more. Find staffing and recruiting agencies in supply chain management and logistics here.

Backup Experience Gained Through Service

Military-connected students have several advantages when it comes to seeking a degree in supply chain management. Many schools provide credit for military experience, offer discounts, are approved for tuition assistance, and have flexible online courses. Seeking a degree or certificate always military-connected students to utilize military benefits to gain the education needed for high-paying sustainable careers.

Skills Gained with a Degree in Supply Chain Management

• Forecasting
• Workflow optimization
• General management
• Analytics
• Financial planning
• Strategic planning
• Problem-solving
• Data analysis skills

Learn more and start your new career.

Hear from an Industry Expert

Industry Pathway: Supply Chain Management

William King, MBA
Lecturer of Business (2010)

“I’m excited about the launch of the Supply Chain Management major at UIU. I think it’s timely as employees with bachelor’s degrees are in-demand in the field, and the industry continues to grow. I’m also excited we’ve made the program available online – it gives students a lot of flexibility, plus many of the jobs in the field are often remote or hybrid – so it makes a lot of sense.”

How do I get into this Industry?

A high percentage of employees working in the supply chain and logistical disciplines
have earned an undergraduate degree. This is a great point of entry into these fields,
especially if the degree is supply chain/logistics focused. Internship experiences coupled
with the degree form a solid foundation for competitive entry.

What Certifications do I need in this industry?

Certifications, either granted through an educational institution or professional
organization, can potentially be helpful to career path development. In some cases,
certificates will require a component of experience within the industry before the
certificate is granted.

What degrees or education pathways should I take?

A business related degree is a common path to entry but the growth in supply
chain/logistics focused degrees is a strong indicator of workplace needs. Coupling
education with actual work experience helps to build a solid entry point into these fields
of opportunity.

Translating my military experience specifically for this industry

Military experiences can potentially correlate extremely well for work experiences
related to supply chain and logistics operations. Operational procedures and objectives
for private and public institutional organizations would share common perspectives.

Entry level/mid-level experience I need for this industry

Any work experience related to operations, supply chain, procurement, materials, and
logistics would be helpful for both entry level positions and career path development.
As those experiences are broadened across these areas, an employee will better
understand the interrelationships and how each contributes to the overall success of an
organization.

Also, explore information on Getting a Degree in Supply Chain Management for Military & Veterans.

How do you advance in this industry?

As organizations move towards a flattened structure, one could anticipate a horizontal
career development path which might also include moving between different employer
options from time to time. A strength of the supply chain/logistics fields is that the
knowledge and experience base earned over time can translate well across different
industries providing higher levels of career flexibility.

What are they looking for from me to communicate in an interview?

One can expect the usual types of questions, but more specifically, preparing for an
interview and performing well in the interview can often be accomplished by utilizing a
specific approach. One common approach is to use the STAR technique. It helps to not
only to prepare, but also to manage the conversation within an interview. The STAR
approach is simply this: describe the Situation you were dealing with at the time;
describe the Task and the objective you needed to accomplish; discuss the Actions you
took to try and reach the objective; and lastly, describe the outcome or Results. This
approach may well lead to additional clarifying questions, but it is a well-structured
approach to interviewing.

Tips and tricks to getting into this industry

Networking with those already in the industry is a great approach. You can find those
contacts and possibly early career mentors within an organization where you work and
also through professional organizations such as Institute for Supply Management and
Association for Supply Chain Management and the Transportation and Logistics
Professionals Association and local chapters for each.

What can I do while still in the service to prepare for this industry once I get out?

Completing a supply chain management degree is a great starting point. Additionally,
finding supply chain/logistics work experience in that process would help to strengthen
the potential for entry into the discipline. Lastly, finding networks of support to help
guide and open doors when needed.

What is the work-life balance like in this industry?

Organizations in many cases are becoming more engaged on work-life balance needs of
their employees. This may be more challenging in smaller organizations at times when
employees are called on to wear many different types of hats for responsibility, but in
larger organizations there could be more resources to help level out the load for
employees. However, regardless of the discipline, the basic challenge of raising the bar
of expectations for organizations continues to remain strong.

Explore the fully online bachelor’s degree at Upper Iowa University.

About SkillStorm

Since 2002 SkillStorm has been dedicated to accelerating opportunity in the tech field by conquering the skills gap to enable more individuals to get trained and launch careers for in-demand jobs. SkillStorm works with businesses and individuals to upskill employees and fill open positions. SkillStorm works with several government agencies seeking military talent, their career services include training programs and certification courses for transitioning military members.

Career Services

SkillStorm doesn’t just provide certifications and training programs for the military community. They have a passion for making sure transitioning service members find employment. Through their “Hire. Train. Deploy” model SkillStorm connects veterans to career opportunities through their recruitment, career counselors, and one-on-one mentorship services. SkillStorm has a network of private companies, government contracting companies, and state and federal government agencies to ensure their program participants find lasting careers.

Program Offerings

SkillStorm offers tech training no matter your experience or skill level. The goal is to help veterans and transitioning service members start a tech career. SkillStorm offers career paths for tech careers through their hiring and training programs. They also offer free and paid certificate courses in a variety of tech subjects.

Programs

Hiring programs:

• Emerging Tech: For those who already have a college degree or coding experience. The Emerging Tech program is a 10 – 12-week program that helps train and get certifications in cloud, cyber, development, and more.

• IT Apprenticeship program: For those who have no tech experience. The It Apprenticeship program is a hands-on 12 – 36-month DOL program where program participants start in a help desk role and end by becoming certified tech professionals.

Training programs:

• VET TEC program: A 16-week online or in-person training program that is approved for VA funding.

• Industry certification courses: Courses are online, instructor-led courses offered by school partners and the Army and Air Force COOL programs. Courses can be completed in 4 – 8 weeks. Certifications include AWS, Appian, Salesforce, Pega, and CompTIA.

Free Online Courses:

• Introduction to Coding
• Programming in Java
• Data Structures
• Introduction to AWS
• View more courses here

Who Qualifies

• Active-duty service members
• Transitioning service members
• Veterans

How to Apply

• Hiring Programs: You will need to apply for the hiring program you want via SkillStorm’s website. You will need to provide your clearance level, the highest level of education, military branch, and if you are open to relocation.
• Training Programs: To enroll in the Vet Tech training program, you will need to submit your contact information, military branch, and military status and someone will contact you to start the Vet Tech program and provide the next steps.
• Free Online Courses: If you want to take advantage of SkillStorm’s free introductory online courses, you must create an account to start taking the courses.

Program Costs

Most of SkillStorm’s programs and courses are free for military members. However, some online courses are not free. Courses can range from $600 to $2000. Paid courses have registration deadlines.

Career Insights – Engineering Technician

According to indeed.com, entry-level engineering technicians in the United States make an average of $63,000+ per year. The tech career field often comes with overtime work with many career data sites reporting that engineering technicians earn an average of $7,000 per year in overtime pay. Engineering Technicians with a bachelor’s degree can earn over $70,000 a year according to careerschoolnow.org.

Engineering Technicians are considered “support professionals” who support engineers by helping design systems, and equipment, and provide technical support for software issues. The tech career field is growing and can cross multiple industries, with private companies and state/federal government agencies looking for qualified and cleared professionals getting trained and certified in the tech industry can lead to a long-lasting career.

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Free Online Courses with Alison for Military Spouses and Veterans

Alison is the largest for-profit company that believes in free education and skills training for everyone. The free online learning platform is based on the premise that free education for anyone anywhere in the world can help remove boundaries and improve people’s lives.

With more than 4,000 free online courses in 9 categories, Alison is a good option for those in the military community looking to expand their education and training to advance their careers. Alison is an excellent resource for those looking to reskill or upskill.

How Does Alison work?

Alison’s online courses are built by experts in the industries they represent. Course creators come from industries such as higher education, business, the private sector, and government agencies, The courses are built to be comprehensive, built-in manageable portions, and efficiently managed learning outcomes.

Alison is accredited by CPD UK, an independent organization based in the UK. To receive a CPD accredited programs have to showcase they have reached the required continuing professional development standards and benchmarks.

What Courses Does Alison Offer?

Alison’s free online courses are designed to be self-paced and easy to follow. Certificate courses are generally single-topic and take only a few hours while the diplomas courses are considered postsecondary, non-degree training programs that cover several subjects within a particular field of study and can be completed within 10 hours.

Course Categories:

• • IT
  • Health
  • Language
  • Business
  • Management
  • Personal Development
  • Sales & Marketing
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Teaching & Academics
  • English

Course Examples:

• • Human Resources
  • Marketing
  • Six Sigma
  • Sales
  • Accounting
  • Content Marketing
  • Digital Marketing
  • Product Marketing
  • AWS
  • Database
  • Information Systems
  • ISO
  • Pharmacology
  • Mental Health

Who Qualifies?

Active-duty military, veterans, military spouses, and military children are all eligible to take the free online courses from Alison.

Military career fields from all branches such as Air Force Manpower Specialists, Army Administrative Support Specialists, or Navy Business Operations and Management Analyst have important functions that support the mission and vision of the military. Each of these career fields has value that can be easily translated to the civilian sector and further enhanced through courses and certifications.

For example, an Air Force Manpower Specialist is vital in ensuring the mission’s success by ensuring who is needed to execute the mission and the skills needed to support that mission.

Air Force Manpower Specialist

• Update military personnel data records
• Ensure compliance with personnel policies, directives, and procedures
• Monitor retention and provide reports and statistics
• Maintain database and monitor duty status changes
• Advise members on official and personal obligations for relocation, training, and promotion to ensure career progression
• Monitor and execute military personnel programs: casualty program, prepare related reports and documents, assist next of kin of deceased and missing personnel to apply for death gratuity pay, arrears of pay, veterans’ affairs, social security, government and commercial life insurance, and other benefits
• Conduct interviews to determine individual interests, qualifications, and relevant personnel data

Human Resources Manage

• Report to management and provide decision support through HR metrics
• Ensure compliance throughout human resource management
• Develop and implement HR strategies for retention, training, and career advancement in line with the overall business strategy
• Maintain pay plan and benefits programs
• Oversee and manage performance appraisal systems to drive high-performance
• Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics, and procedures across the organization
• Manage the recruitment and selection process

Search for staffing & recruiting companies that can help you find a career in HR.

How Do You Apply?

To take advantage of Alison’s free online courses, you will need to sign up for their free profile. Alison does have monthly plan options to reduce the price of some certificates and diplomas. While courses are free, some certificates and diplomas may come with a fee.

What Types of Career Help Does Alison Offer?

Alison offers 3 self-guided career services that can be very helpful for military-connected job seekers. These resources are free to use and can help guide you in the right direction when choosing a career path or preparing to apply for jobs.

1. Discover Careers – Choose certificate and diploma courses based on careers. This feature allows you to see what careers you could pursue in a particular industry and the courses you can take to upskill.
2. Personality Test – Understanding who you are and why you operate how you do allows you to narrow down a career field that best suits you.
3. Resume Builder – Choose from multiple professional templates to help you build a resume easier and faster. You can download several versions of your resume.

Why Are These Courses Worth Taking?

Alison courses are developed by top universities, world-class professors, industry experts, and successful companies from every industry. This means the courses are filled with actionable information that you can apply to your current role or use to make yourself more marketable while seeking your next career.

For more info, please go here.

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