John A. Gentle

Tips to become a Logistics professional

One of our website readers wrote in with an interesting question regarding developing a career in logistics. Firas writes:

“I am a young IT Supervisor in a small financial services company and am interested in moving to the Logistics sector. I would appreciate your advice on how to plan for a career path as an IT Executive in Logistics in regards to what knowledge is crucial to gain for this field, recognized certifications, and essential training.”

There are a few things that you should do if you want to go into logistics. First, it’s all about understanding Logistics. I define it as the backbone of a company encompassing the disciplines of Material planning, Transportation, and Warehousing. It begins with inbound materials needed for production or redistribution; the storage and handling of those materials and finished goods; as well as the related inbound and outbound transportation. Success in this field is based on a clear understanding of the company’s culture and the value it places on these disciplines and well as the processes and management style in dealing with them.

Success of those that support Logistics, such as IT, should also be based on a clear understanding of how each of the processes work and interact with each other….It’s like a 3 legged stool: if one leg is slightly out of alignment, then the process becomes ineffective.

If you want to enter the Logistics Field:

1. Research the education programs that will work best for you. Many colleges offer Supply Chain/Logistics courses. You can also seek education and certification through APICS (American Production and Inventory Control Society) and/or AST&L (American Society of Transportation and Logistics).
2. Recognize that solutions need to bring value to your logistics team without creating additional work for their suppliers. Logisitics managers are weary of IT personnel trying to impose solutions that are economical for the company but don’t provide the real value or are not well integrated.
3. Join the local Chapter of CSCMP (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals) to begin making contacts and understanding the issues.
4. Search for prospective companies that value their Supply Chain and don’t just view it as a cost.

A good Logistical IT resource understands the interaction of the disciplines and the desired results and creates winning solutions. Always aim for becoming a creative resource that the Logistics Team is always happy to see. Education and certifications can get you most of the way, but it’s your creativity and desire to become a part of that team that will bring you the greatest personal and professional rewards.

Posted by John A. Gentle on February 26, 2008 | Comments (14)