The Logistics Careers
Logisticians oversee the entire lifecycle of a company's products, from acquisition to the location and timing of delivery. These professionals occupy leadership roles in industries like manufacturing, wholesale trade, and technical services. The following guide provides information to help you build a career in logistics, including educational options, potential career paths based on degree level, and professional development resources.
Why Pursue a Career in Logistics? Suitable for people who possess excellent organizational and time-management skills, logistics careers enable professionals to direct the disbursement of products and materials in a cost-effective and timely manner. To succeed in this field, you must be able to think critically in high pressure situations and solve unforeseen problems, such as postponed deliveries and damaged supplies.
Regardless of industry, logisticians interact with diverse groups of people, including vendors and government officials To build long-lasting professional relationships, you must develop strong communication and collaboration skills. You also need to engage with customers effectively; their feedback enables you to assess market trends and improve your company's supply chains.
Logistics Career Outlook The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that careers in logistics will expand by 5% between 2018 and 2028, adding about 8,400 new jobs to the U.S. economy. Additionally, professionals who occupy specialized positions as business operations specialists are projected to benefit from a projected 7% increase. Industries that house the highest concentrations of logisticians include freight transportation arrangement, aerospace manufacturing, and oil and gas.
BLS data shows that logisticians earn a median annual salary of $74,750. Workers in the wholesale trade industry make less, earning a median wage of $65,820, whereas logisticians employed by the federal government make the best salaries in the field, typically taking home about $85,000 each year.
Logistics Career Paths As they begin their education, logistics students should consider whether they plan to pursue logistics generally or focus in a particular field, like warehousing or supply chain management. Concentrating in a particular area of logistics offers a great way for students to develop specialized skills that make them more employable for their target job.
Transportation Career paths in transportation examine the trends, policies, and concepts associated with air, maritime, and ground transportation. Transportation professionals also study the role of transportation in organizations and learn to assess transportation systems. Learners may explore transportation laws, systems, and challenges at the international level.
Global Supply Chain Management Global logistics and supply chain management professionals handle various aspects of transporting, managing, and storing goods for global organizations. Through courses on global supply operations, students in this specialization learn about purchasing, quality management, and shipping. Coursework also covers changes affecting international supply chains.
Quantitative Methods Careers in this specialization involve using data to analyze and improve supply chains. Coursework to prepare students for quantitative career paths covers analytical methods that help managers mitigate risk, make decisions, assess performance, and ensure quality. Students also gain experience with statistical analysis, decision-tree analysis, and control charting.
International Business
Logistics professionals in international business specialize in areas such as global trade, multinational finance, and international markets. Preparatory coursework covers cultural and regulatory differences that affect international business dealings. Additionally, courses examine the roles and responsibilities of consumers, governments, NGOs, and interest groups on a global level.