When I first entered academia as a supply chain professor 30 years ago, I assumed the ROI on a grad
My students in Silicon Valley say making $200K+/yr feels like making $90K/yr in Metro Detroit. Some pay close to $6K/month for rent (so they need roommates). Owning a home will be tough. Kind of related…Ranked: Worst Companies for Employee Retention:
My students in Silicon Valley say making $200K+/yr feels like making $90K/yr in Metro Detroit. Some
Great read…Translation: Success = Pick the right major (i.e., demand > supply) + Get work experience (i.e., internships related to major) + Pick the right first job (i.e., they pay a premium for your major because of supply/demand conditions and you are job ready day one because you have professional work experience). Notice:
Notice SCM made the list: Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain, Storage.
https://www.visualca
PROJECTIONS POINT TO SALARY INCREASES FOR CLASS OF 2024 BACHELOR’S GRADS…”Business grads have an avg salary projection that is 3% higher, lifting it to $63,907.” Note, WMU SCM grads (2022) have a median wage range of $65-$75K (add $5K+ for 2024).
PROJECTIONS POINT TO SALARY INCREASES FOR CLASS OF 2024 BACHELOR’S GRADS: https://lnkd.in/eRxevuJv.
Do not be a victim of technology. You could make the case that every Business major should minor in Data Analytics. These skill sets would perhaps include:
“Half our member respondents (50%) said they would take a “Data Analytics” class to continue their
For a list of employers with 100% remote jobs…When in the job interview process do you disclose that you only want to work remotely? It is becoming increasingly common for our graduates to prioritize remote work opportunities. The appeal of flexibility and the comfort of working from one’s own space is undeniable (I do it VERY often).
For a list of employers with 100% remote jobs, see: https://lnkd.in/g6cq-S6E. When in the job inter
It might be time for price risk sharing in these buyer-supplier relationships…Also, get ready for another supply chain disruptor: no succession planning…Do not forget where most of the supply chain is: Small Businesses. From HBR article:
It might be time for price risk sharing in these buyer-supplier relationships: https://lnkd.in/eRm5
Our new “apprenticeship” program: We just concluded a co-op pilot program with a F500 company that was highly successful and has started its second iteration in 2024. So, what makes this Co-op program different?..
More WMU SCM student & program success stories…
https://wmich.edu/news/2024/02/74893
Our
Very nice graphic. Demonstrating self awareness during an interview is huge. Here is a website that is similar to MBTI and it is free…I actually require my students to conduct a personal SWOT and they largely struggle. How about a personal SWOT analysis? For details on how to build your brand (with a workbook):
Very nice graphic.
Demonstrating self awareness during an interview is huge. Here is a webs
Great read…Note, we cover this in our CIS 4640 Business Data Mining class which is the capstone class in our Business Analytics minor. The forecast-driven idea is something that our CIS faculty have been selling to SCM students in this course. In fact, more than 70% of the class is about forecasting and predicting. We specifically talk about data quality treatment strategies to reduce forecasting/prediction errors. CIS 4640 – Business Data Mining:
Great read…
https://hbr.org/2024/03/how-machine-learning-will-transform-supply-chain-management
Based on my observations: employers that interview very selectively for internships & pay market value, tend to convert exceptional talent into full-time employees. In fact, they pay their interns a salary that is very close to what their full-time offers are. For example, from a student:
Based on my observations: employers that interview very selectively for internships & pay marke
We just talked about this in class…“Cost recovery mechanisms should not be judged in isolation. Inflation-driven cost increases & adjustments need to be addressed in a timely manner that is consistent, tested, & institutionalized & supported by OEM & supplier cost reduction efforts.”
We just talked about this in class...“Cost recovery mechanisms should not be judged in isolation. I
Supply Chain Management (and Operations) made the list. 43% (SCM)/65% (Ops) large impact – “refers to tasks that will be fully automated or significantly altered by AI technologies.” In case you want to see what we cover in our AI course, see the screenshot below.
Supply Chain Management (and Operations) made the list. 43% (SCM)/65% (Ops) large impact - "refers
The 16 worst-paying college majors, five years after graduation- But…If You Majored in One of These 18 Subjects, You’ll Likely Have a Comfortable Retirement…Notice SCM made the list: #5. Supply Chain (Logistics): $52,290
The 16 worst-paying college majors, five years after graduation: https://lnkd.in/eTyx7YpW. But…If Y
Thousands of jobs on LinkedIn w/ Indirect Procurement built into the job description. MRO buyer jobs…I just had a student get an internship offer in “indirect” procurement & she asked me if it was a good opportunity. I gave her a resounding yes.
Thousands of jobs on LinkedIn w/ Indirect Procurement built into the job description: https://lnkd.
LinkedIn shows thousands of jobs in SCM related to “risk” & FMEA (Failure Mode Effects & Analysis).
LinkedIn shows thousands of jobs in SCM related to “risk” & FMEA (Failure Mode Effects & An
Subject: Read: Please Watch Out for Power BI or Tableau. Do not be a victim of technology. Put these skills on your resume if you have them! Students:
Subject: Read: Please Watch Out for Power BI or Tableau. Do not be a victim of technology.&nbs
Subject: Read: Apple’s Core Competency is SCM? I thought it was technology/innovation? Students: Apple’s Core Competency is SCM?
Subject: Read: Apple's Core Competency is SCM? I thought it was technology/innovation? St
Full time jobs – non asset based 3PL. FYI – this is a trillion dollar industry in America alone, stuff has to get moved around by someone…
Full time jobs - non asset based 3PL (I will talk about these companies in class the next time we m
Feedback from former student on consulting jobs after graduation…just in case you see some at the career fairs. Consulting is simply “problem-solving”. “You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the problems you solve” – Elon Musk
Subject: Read: Feedback from former student on consulting jobs after graduation...just in case you
How do companies outsource strategically? Some companies (both large and small) are going beyond just outsourcing commodities to also outsourcing core/strategic parts. It makes sense for smaller firms with scarce resources to outsource commodities.
Subject: Read: How do companies outsource strategically? How do companies outsource strategically?
Subject: Read: Feedback from a Bronco who works at TACOM (great government jobs, this might surprise you) Students (great government jobs & they often welcome all majors):
Subject: Read: Feedback from a Bronco who works at TACOM (great government jobs, this might su
Subject: Negotiating a job offer (i.e., internships & your starting salary)… Check out the #1 skill set sought after by employers in the attachment (does your resume sell it?). Note, Negotiation is a problem-solving skill set that every manager needs (and most are very bad at at).
Subject: Negotiating a job offer (i.e., internships & your starting salary)...Check out the #1
Subject: Read (mentor advice): Rounding up GPAs, post script on your phones for email replies, resume keywords, & email signatures Students (how about creating a professional email signature to impress employers?):
Subject: Read (mentor advice): Rounding up GPAs, post script on your phones for email replies,
Subject: Read: Yet another reason to consider the BA minor (sorry to be so pushy about these skills, I will stop very soon)…But, problem-solving at work requires that you measure the stuff that is important to your organization (i.e., quality, costs, service, etc.).
Subject: Read: Yet another reason to consider the BA minor (sorry to be so pushy about these skills
Subject: Read: Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a victim of technology). Students (see the end of this from my former students): Is AI your next threat and do you believe the following?…
Subject: Read: Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a vict
We have it covered with our students. Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Bard, CoPilot, etc.) is a major focus in our new CIS 5550 course. “American college students are behind in using AI in their studies compared to their foreign counterparts.”
We have it covered with our students.
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-most-popular-
More WMU SCM student success stories…
More WMU SCM student success stories…
https://wmich.edu/news/2024/01/74490
1. Dylan Sing is a
WMU named a Best College for Future Leaders by TIME, overall ranking No. 79 in the nation & 3rd in the state. Yes, ranked: Supply Chain Management (along w/ several other business programs at WMU). For complete WMU list, see:
WMU named a Best College for Future Leaders by TIME, overall ranking No. 79 in the nation & 3rd
Vertical Integration, are we coming full circle? I spent the last 3 decades showing students how aggressive outsourcing strategies have been a hallmark of industry, driven by the pursuit of cost reductions, wider margins, higher asset turnover rate, and better ROI.
Vertical Integration, are we coming full circle? I spent the last 3 decades showing students how ag
“New data shows that for the first time in over 20 years, the U.S. bought more from Mexico than China in 2023… Exports from Mexico to the U.S. in 2023 totaled a sum of $476 billion as China’s imports to the U.S. dropped by 20%.”
"New data shows that for the first time in over 20 years, the U.S. bought more from Mexico than Chi
Students: Do not forget to say thank you after those career fairs and networking…For more help, pasted below are links from Harvard, Yale, MIT, & WMU (112 pages). Many college grads struggle to land jobs due to a lack of preparedness: “Nearly 20% of employers said they’ve even had a recent college grad bring a parent to an interview.”
Students: Do not forget to say thank you after those career fairs and networking...For more help, p
Great read (see our new apprenticeship program below): From article…“In some ways, it’s odd supply chain & procurement hadn’t come to the forefront sooner….Managing complex processes on paper or w/ spreadsheets is impossible…
Great read (see our new apprenticeship program below): From article…“In some ways, it’s odd supply
Today in class: 120 days?…A student asked me if these payment terms were an issue for smaller sub-tier suppliers (young students can be very observant).
Today in class: 120 days?...A student asked me if these payment terms were an issue for smaller sub
Salary Data $$$. A very good read from Zetwerk. “Purchasing managers had the highest median salary of the jobs studied, at a $131,350 average. The overall median salary was $90,812. Logisticians have a 10-year projected growth rate of 18%.”
Salary Data $$$. A very good read from Zetwerk: https://lnkd.in/eHWZ7DGf. Also, a nice summary from
Notice SCM made the list: #5. Supply Chain (Logistics): $52,290. Note, WMU SCM grads (2022) have a median wage range of $65-$75K. I have been trying to explain SCM to high schoolers. It’s not that easy.
Notice SCM made the list: #5. Supply Chain (Logistics): $52,290.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news
The Food Marketing Conference is quickly approaching. It will be held March 26 – 27, 2024.
The Food Marketing Conference is quickly approaching. It will be held March 26 - 27, 2024.
http
Here is my slide deck on Negotiation from the 1990s. I used to pack this into one class. Now, every WMU Supply Chain major has to take an entire course on Global Negotiation.
Here is my slide deck on Negotiation from the 1990s. I used to pack this into one class. Now, every
We are talking about this in class right now (along w/ Negotiation): “OEMs had an avg profit margin of 8.1% in the 1st quarter, more than 2% higher than auto suppliers…while suppliers stabilized between 5-6%…The challenge for suppliers is that they’re suffering from higher material & energy costs, which they can only partially pass on to OEMs.”
We are talking about this in class right now (along w/ Negotiation): “OEMs had an avg profit margin
I asked chatGPT how complicated is it for an international student college graduate in the U.S. to get a green card. It looks VERY cumbersome. I wish it was easier and perhaps even automatic.
Note, this is almost 3 years old, but…"The H-1B visa is highly competitive. In fiscal 2021, program
Success = Pick the right major (i.e., demand > supply) + Get work experience (i.e., internships related to major) + Pick the right first job (i.e., they pay a premium for your major because of supply/demand conditions and you are job ready day one because you have professional work experience).
Great read…Translation: Success = Pick the right major (i.e., demand > supply) + Get work experienc
Note, we cover this in our CIS 4640 Business Data Mining class which is the capstone class in our Business Analytics minor. The forecast-driven idea is something that our CIS faculty have been selling to SCM students in this course.
Great read…
https://hbr.org/2024/03/how-machine-learning-will-transform-supply-chain-management
How to approach a new technology investment, based on what I have seen in software & professional services: For example:
Also: “Walmart deployed AI-powered negotiations software w/ a text-based interface (i.e., a chatbot
Should we teach Tableau or Power BI or both? In our CIS 3640 class we focus on three major areas: (1) Advanced excel functions, Power Query, Power Pivot , & Data Models, (2) Excel Macros, & (3) Visualization.
Should we teach Tableau or Power BI or both? In our CIS 3640 class we focus on three major areas: (
In case you want to see what we cover in our AI course, a screenshot is shown in the comments section. We are expanding this list in spring. Our analytics faculty are on top of this AI wave. They have already built an AI course in our business college (CIS 5550) to cover all kinds of AI for business applications.
“American college students are behind in using AI in their studies compared to their foreign counte
The U.S. scores very high on avg pay/hour ($42.78), but also has one of the longer avg work weeks (34.83 hrs). WLB? My students are getting their full-time job offers. Most get 2 weeks paid vacation, some get 3 weeks, & very few get 4 (some do though!).
The U.S. scores very high on avg pay/hour ($42.78), but also has one of the longer avg work weeks (
Do Certificate Programs Pay Off? Top SCM certifications. Free certificate programs for anyone who has access to LinkedIn Learning…
From Forbes: Do Certificate Programs Pay Off? https://lnkd.in/gAwfjk7y. Top SCM certifications
Prepping for a job interview? Here’s how to answer ‘What is my biggest weakness?’ Demonstrating self-awareness during an interview is huge.
Prepping for a job interview? Here’s how to answer ‘What is my biggest weakness?’ Demonstrating sel
Women In Supply Chain:
ISM’s Women’s Supply Management Community: https://lnkd.in/gH_Mr77d. Female Supply Chain stude
Still feels like a seller’s market for my students. The 10 fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. right now — many pay over $100,000 a year:
Still feels like a seller’s market for my students.
The 10 fastest-growing jobs in the U.S.