As you may have heard, Willis college was excited to announce a new program in Supply Chain Management last month! This is an exciting and dynamic field with HUGE potential for our students and future graduates. 

Shirley Howard is the woman behind the program. She works for our sister school, CBBC Career College, as the Education Manager at their Dartmouth Campus, but having a background in supply chain management, she was the perfect person to help Willis College develop the program. Shirley has not only worked in the industry but she taught the program for a number of years!

We thought that Shirley would be the perfect person to talk to us about the new program. 

Q: Hi Shirley! It’s so nice to chat with you today. Thank you for making the time. Tell us a bit about the supply chain management program. What’s the job like?

Shirley Howard: The supply chain management program is a very comprehensive, multi-dimensional business program that will prepare students for a multitude of career options, in companies big or small, and virtually any industry. This is an exciting career choice because the possibilities are so endless. I couldn’t even begin to name them! Students will be learning on a macro level as they discover how to move people and products around the world. This program has something for everyone as the topics we cover are so diverse (from cybersecurity, to customs, to transportation!). This course is very case-based and students will spend a lot of time learning concepts and then applying these concepts to actual business situations.  The industry is looking for skilled problem solvers and analytical thinkers and this program teaches students the skills to be strategic decision-makers who can immediately add value to any organization they join.

The job can be very demanding. You remember how the vaccine shortage was a major news story? Well, supply chain professionals are required to make sure that the vaccines are delivered where they need to go and when people need them, and sometimes this doesn’t go as smoothly as we planned. The ability to react quickly, think in solutions, and be flexible are common traits of people in this industry.  In over 20 years, I can say the job was never boring and every day was an opportunity to make a difference in my company!

Q: What sort of students would be good for this program? 
SH: The best part of this program is that it is designed for people who have no supply chain experience, but challenging enough for students that may have some industry experience. The combination of experience in the classroom makes a very nice blended experience for all students. Due to this design you can be straight out of high school, someone in the job market that is looking for a career change. or a worker in the industry that is looking to advance their career with more education. My youngest student was 18 and my oldest was 63!  

 There is a misconception that this is a male-dominated industry, as most people think supply chain is simply working in a warehouse shipping products, when nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a business course and you can choose whether you want to work in an office business environment, be more hands-on in a distribution or warehousing role or completely behind the scenes as a computer analyst.

Q: What sort of jobs will our graduates get?
SH: I always joked that my career was “getting paid to spend someone else’s money” and that is what supply chain management is all about. If you work in a procurement role you may have the opportunity to see new products emerging in a marketplace, decide what products your company sells, determine profit levels, and travel the globe. Warehousing positions can revolve around customer service and getting products to customers when and where they need them. Transportation opportunities may have you shipping products all over the world or participating in environmental sustainability. If you are interested in the environment then corporate social responsibility might be the career you are looking for. Project management is a big role in supply chain and you could work as part of a team on a limited project to implement a new computer system. If you are interested in engineering, you might work as part of a product development team and develop a completely new product to introduce to the world.  

Q: Woah! There are so many different areas! What sort of person excels in this field?
SH: The diversity of the career options in supply chain makes this field open to everyone, but those who excel and thrive in this industry are people who love a challenge, creative problem solvers, analytical thinkers, skilled multi-taskers and collaborative team players who work together for a common purpose.

 Q: Here’s a question that people are always asking: what is the job market like?
SH: Supply chain positions are the heart and soul of an organization. It is customer service focused and without customers, you don’t have a business. This is a very in-demand, constantly growing, and evolving field with jobs ranging from entry-level to senior management. You may start as entry-level, but trained supply chain professionals can rise quickly through the ranks in a company. 

Supply chain is an incredibly fulfilling, dynamic career choice that allows unlimited opportunities for advancement.  Most supply chain managers today have learned the career from the ground up through hands-on experience at the entry-level and this propelled them to senior management.  It can be challenging and even frustrating but also rewarding and fulfilling. If you want to leave your job everyday feeling like you made a difference, then supply chain is the career for you.

Get started TODAY!

Our Supply Chain Management program (offered through Willis College Online) is great for opening all kinds of doors. If you’re looking for a fresh start and a program that will get you job-ready for a bunch of positions, this is the education for you.

To talk to our admissions coordinators and get started ASAP click here. We can’t wait to have you!