Is Supply Chain Management A Good Career? 5 Things You Need To Know

Supply chain management is a field of study that encompasses several different careers focused on managing the flow of goods and services. Below, we’ve provided a comprehensive overview of what supply chain management involves, how in-demand supply chain professionals are, what skills supply chain management careers require, the pros and cons of supply chain management, and salary and career growth potential. 

At Robertson College, we are here to help you empower yourself on your journey to enjoying a more fulfilling career. Contact us today to learn more about our Supply Chain Management Program.

Key Takeaways

• Supply chain management involves managing the flow of goods and services to and from a company.
• There are a growing number of careers in the supply chain management field.
• Supply chain professionals can land a number of roles within an organization.
• Most supply chain careers have a high potential for advancement; many supply chain professionals find themselves in leadership positions.
• The salaries for supply chain professionals are excellent, with plenty of opportunities to increase your earning potential.
• The outlook for the supply chain management field in Canada is excellent.
• The Logistics & Supply Chain Management course at Robertson College gives you all of the tools you need to start a career in this exciting, dynamic field.

What Does A Career In Supply Chain Management Involve?

Key Responsibilities

Supply chain management (SCM) is the coordination and management of the flow of goods and services to and from a company. This coordination involves every step of the procurement, manufacturing, and delivery process, from sourcing raw materials to delivering the finished product to a customer.

Supply chain management includes a wide range of roles and responsibilities. Depending on your role, your responsibilities may include:

• Planning, including forecasting demand, managing inventory levels, and developing metrics
• Procurement, including selecting vendors, negotiating with those vendors, and maintaining and developing relationships with suppliers
• Coordinating transportation, including developing transportation routes, risk assessment, tracking shipments, and negotiating with transportation providers
• Improving sustainability, including developing KPIs to reduce a company’s carbon footprint and developing new transportation, packaging, and manufacturing strategies to reduce carbon emissions

Different Roles In Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management is an exciting, ever-changing discipline that leverages cutting-edge technology and globalization to benefit companies and consumers. There are several potential careers within supply chain management, including:

• Supply Chain Manager
• Logistics Manager
• Materials Manager
• Procurement Clerk
• Purchasing Agent
• Purchasing Clerk
• Inventory Clerk
• Merchandise Control Clerk
• Shipper and Receiver
• Transportation Route Scheduler
• Export Clerk
• Warehouse Manager
• Retail / Wholesale Buyer
• Buyer

Is Supply Chain Management In Demand?

Growth Of The Industry

The global outlook for the supply chain management field is bright: 

• Grand View Research projects that the global market size of supply chain management will grow at a rate of 11.2% per year from 2024-2030. 
• MarketsandMarkets Research projected a growth rate of 9.4% until 2027. 
• Allied Market Research projects a growth rate of 11.1%, and for the industry to reach $85.3 billion by 2032.

Within Canada, growth rates are projected to be somewhat slower than the global growth rate, but still very high:

• Statista estimates an annual growth rate of 4.08% for the supply chain management software industry.
• It also estimates that the courier, express, and parcel (CEP) market in Canada will grow by 5.8% between 2023 and 2029.

Supply chain management is a truly global discipline, dominated by innovative technologies and international trade. The forecast for the industry looks extremely positive, and a career in supply chain management can open many doors. 

Job Market And Career Stability

To understand the supply chain job market, we can turn to Canada’s Job Bank. There are a number of insights we can glean from this resource, which is provided directly by the Government of Canada:

• Supply Chain Manager is a career with a strong outlook across the country, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
• Logistics Manager shares many of the same traits as a supply chain manager career, with excellent outlooks in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
• Procurement Clerks have an excellent future, with a number of opportunities forecast throughout the country, especially in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
• Shipper-Receiver careers have a tremendous outlook throughout the country, especially in the Prairies Provinces, British Columbia, and New Brunswick.
• Retail Buyers will be in demand throughout Canada, with a number of careers opening up in British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, and with a particularly high demand in Saskatchewan.
• Wholesale Buyers have similar demand forecasts to Retail Buyers.
• Purchasing Agents have excellent prospects across the country, with a number of careers opening up in the emerging market in Nunavut.

The median retirement age for all of these careers is between 60-65, and over 30% of the workforce in these positions is over the age of 50. For management positions, over 40% of the workforce is over the age of 50. This means there will be plenty of opportunities for career growth in these sectors over the coming years. 

What Skills And Qualifications Do You Need?

Educational Requirements

At Robertson College, our Logistics & Supply Chain Management diploma program is designed to help you start your career in less than a year. It includes a 160-hour practicum, hands-on training, and aligns with the Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) designation pathway.

Essential Skills For Success

To succeed in the dynamic, fast-paced field of supply chain management, a number of hard and soft skills are required. These skills include:

• Negotiation
• Data analysis
• Risk assessment
• Project management
• Communication
• Adaptability
• Technical proficiency and the ability to learn new technologies as they emerge
• Decision-making
• Budgeting
• Logistics

In the Logistics & Supply Chain Management course, students learn and develop all of these skills, along with other crucial skills that will help them succeed in the field of supply chain management. 

Pros And Cons Of A Career In Supply Chain Management

Advantages

• A fast-growing field: The prospects for a career in supply chain management, both in Canada and globally, are excellent. The industry continues to grow as new technologies emerge and new trade agreements are forged between countries.

• Excellent salaries: Our supply chain management course can lead to a salary of $53,643-$87,464 in less than a year. At the high end, supply chain managers can make well over $100,000 a year.

• An exciting, ever-changing career: Supply chain management rewards continuous education and career development. What you learn in one part of the field can often be transferred to another career in the field. New technologies, partnerships, and trade agreements transform the field regularly; if you like dynamic work, supply chain management may be the perfect career for you. 

• Incredible opportunities for growth: People in supply chain management careers often find themselves on a pathway to leadership; the communication, analytical, and decision-making skills you’ll learn are easily transferable to high-level management. 

Challenges

• High-pressure: Supply chain management is an incredibly competitive field, and things are constantly changing. You may need to be on the phone with a supplier across the world at 2 AM, then have breakfast with a client at 7 AM the same day. You will need to learn new technologies and approaches quickly. The pressure can mount—but our courses will teach you how to handle it.

• You need to network: A huge part of supply chain management is finding the right people to buy from. You will need to form networks of suppliers, and then leverage those networks to get the best deals for your company. Along with developing your negotiation skills, our course will teach you how to network.

• The only certainty is uncertainty: supply chain management and risk management go hand-in-hand; from global catastrophes to hiccups at a manufacturer’s site, things will go sideways regularly. You will need to embrace uncertainty and prepare your company for what may come with a career in this field. We can help. 

What Is The Salary And Career Growth Potential?

Average Salaries In Supply Chain Management

By taking our Logistics & Supply Chain Management course, you could be earning anywhere from $53,643-$87,464 in less than a year. 

Nationally, supply chain managers earn, on average, between $79,997-$178,277, with an average annual salary of $116,272, assuming a 40-hour work week. This data is taken from jobbank.gc.ca.

Though you may not land a supply chain manager role immediately after completing your course, the work that you will do within the field will prime you for career advancement. 

We recommend taking continuous education courses while you work to maximize your salary. Supply chain salaries are excellent across the board, and the anticipated growth of the industry should lead to even greater earning potential. 

Career Growth And Advancement Opportunities

There are plenty of career growth and advancement opportunities in the supply chain management field. Supply chain professionals can:

• Become supply chain managers
• Go into operations management
• Advance into logistics management roles
• Find careers as supply chain directors
• Land other leadership positions
• Become executives in C-suite positions

Supply chain operations touch almost every aspect of how businesses operate. A career in the supply chain industry can bring you down a unique career path that leads to unexpected and exciting opportunities.

Conclusion

Considering a supply chain management career? Connect with one of our Student Advisors today. They can personally provide support and guidance, and answer any questions you might have about our supply chain programs.

Contact us today to take the first step toward a new and better career. We look forward to welcoming you to Robertson College!