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Musings of a new C.P.P. graduate
Cheryl Brown
According to the 2005 Strategic Human Resources Study of the Supply Chain Sector, a majority of employers do not require supply chain certifications, especially for non-managerial roles.
They also believe most prospective employees don’t have the necessary skill sets and will require significant "on the job" training. These findings, reported by the Canadian Logistics Skills Committee (CLSC), are very disconcerting, especially after one has invested the past five years pursuing a designation such as the C.P.P. (Certified Purchasing Professional).
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts ten years ago, terms such as supply chain management and third party logistics were completely unfamiliar to me. How can one envision working in the supply chain sector, let alone preparing for it, if one isn’t even aware of it?
Not unlike many of you, I ended up in the supply field purely by default, not by design. With a background in survey methodology, I entered the telecom sector designing various internal customer and employee surveys.
An opportunity arose in evaluating supplier performance, and this essentially kick-started my career in what then was generically referred to as "supply services." During an annual performance review, management recommended participation in the PMAC program and this was the first time I became aware of its existence.
Marketing campaign
As a new C.P.P. graduate, I couldn’t help wondering, to borrow from Marvin Gaye, "What’s going on?" The CLSC identified a significant gap between the type of graduate various institutions and programs are producing, versus what employers actually require.
There's a clear need to realign educators and employers' interests. There are industry boards in BC that meet regularly with various post-secondary institutions, but this doesn't appear to be enough.
There's a general lack of awareness of logistics and supply chain employment opportunities within post-secondary facilities. If the supply chain sector wishes to attract the best and the brightest, it must invest in a marketing campaign that essentially 'sells' this type of career to students. This can only occur if communication channels improve between industry, educators, and students.
Staying current
Supply management is constantly evolving and changing, so we must continually upgrade and expand our skills if we wish to keep pace and pursue new opportunities. Remaining stagnant will make us less marketable, and given the accelerating rate of change, your position today may no longer exist in another five to 10 years. According to the logistics skills study, employers have noted that C.P.P. graduates may wish to expand their knowledge in the following areas:
• Financial planning, forecasting, cost analysis;
• International business practices, laws, regulations, logistics and transportation functions;
• Optimization of workflow;
• General management of business.
On a more encouraging note, the CLSC study also noted some positive opportunities emerging in the following areas:
• Logistics information systems;
• Knowledge-based positions;
• Strategic business management with an in-depth understanding of the supply chain;
• Supply planning and analysis.
Though there appears to be a skills gap between college graduates and the type of employee the industry requires, challenging positions continue to surface in the supply chain sector. A C.P.P. graduate has a solid foundation for other supply chain pursuits, so why not look within your organization for alternate positions that will enhance your career?
If you aren't successful in obtaining an internal job posting, don't hesitate to request a debriefing with the hiring manager. Take the initiative to understand not only the manager's needs and requirements, but also those of the organization.
By following up, you may gain valuable insight into what skills, courses or seminars would better prepare you for the next position you pursue. More and more, employers are focusing on succession planning.
Instead of asking "What's going on?" perhaps a better question is "As a supply chain professional, how can I enhance my marketability in this constantly evolving sector?"
Cheryl Brown, C.P.P., has a background in contract negotiations, proposal drafting and supplier performance evaluations. She's currently a contract specialist for the City of Vancouver.
This article was supplied through the Vancouver Regional District Writers Bloc, which allows BC Institute graduates of the C.P.P. program to develop their writing skills while sharing best practices with their peers.
Practitioners wishing to submit an article to “In the field” should contact the editor of Purchasing b2b at lisa.wichmann@
pb2b.rogers.com
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