Video: Logistics and Supply Chain Management in a nutshell
(Daniel Dammann): Can you tell us ...
(Kevin Sipple): What is logistics in a supply chain?
(Pat Burken-Inventory Control Manager-Retail 500 Fortune Company): Logistics in the supply chain to me means that you have a product that (uh) comes in and it goes out.
(Andy Burnham): Why would anyone want to study this field?
(Gilberto Ponce-Civilian Logistician-US Army): Logistics is a very (uh) challenging and rewarding job. (Uh) Studying logistics when I compare (uh) that I used to be a teacher, (uh) a school principal, a management analyst, are some of the jobs that I have had and I compare to logistics (uh). I find logistics more exciting, even though I teach logistics sometimes and I like teaching logistics and I like to talk about my experiences as a logistician and (uh) it is a very a exciting and rewarding job.
(Jeff Meyer-Warehouse Manager-Nestle Purina-Pet Care): Logistics is a great place to be, it, I am challenged every day and I see great opportunities ahead for myself and in my council.
(Warehouse worker): I think it’s, it’s fun and interesting to try to keep track of 9,000 different items.
(Kim Fortner-Trade Relations Representative-Nestle Purina-Pet Care): What I like about it, is that it’s not a boring desk job. Every day, is a different day (um) with handling different situations that arise with the process of an order. Yeah, I would recommend a job in this field, because I think there’s lots of opportunities. There can be a desk job, there’s loading trucks, there’s management positions, there’s all kinds of different variety of positions in this area.
(Nagini Velagapudi): How did you get the job that you have?
(Pat Burken-Inventory Control Manager-Retail 500 Fortune Company): The job that I currently have I, I went through a website (uh) jobs in logistics (uh) dot com.
(Scott K.-Warehouse Manager-Food Distribution Company): When I started I was a driver scheduler, worked my way through transportation, warehousing, (uh) taken different supervisor positions, and (uh, uh) and eventually ended up in this manager’s position.
(Morgan Meske): How do you get into this field?
(Tim Cottle-Program Director-“Joined by a River” DOL Project): The field of logistics in supply chain management is so broad and diverse. There’s a number of ways to enter into the field. Another is to go to school directly, and study the field, and then get a job at a major company out of college. You can go to work with a company at the same time you’re going to school working on your degree. You can interwork, start working and then receive training and education as you advance within the company, receiving that training as you need it for your current job and for the job you are training for. And you can also study one field but take elective courses in the field of supply chain management and logistics. And in doing so, incorporate more than one field and have a broader knowledge of the business world.
(John Crump): Does logistics require a lot of physical work?
(Pat Burken-Inventory Control Manager-Retail 500 Fortune Company): In the distribution sector, if you are doing receiving, or case throwing, or shipping and you are loading trucks by hand, it is physical work. If you are doing audits, sometimes you have to go through in, in the racks (uh) ride on forklifts, count things, (uh) go up and down stairs depending on how the building is laid out. One of the things that (uh) is, is good about it though, is you can get into a field such as purchasing, where you not doing any physical activity at all, so logistics is a wide range. You may be driving a truck, well while you are driving the truck, you’re not physically doing work, but you are having to stay active driving that truck and stay aware. Then when you get to a destination, you may or may not have to unload it.
(Kourtney Richards): What is your background?
(Coleen Adrian-Director of Materials Management-Trinity Health System): My background is, I’m a registered nurse, I actually did my training here at Franciscan years ago. I worked clinical, then I worked 20 years in the operating room, and now I’ve had about fifteen years of materials management. It was a great opportunity to move into this field. One of the things that I bring to this specialty is a clinical background, and that’s pretty unusual for a materials management department. Any type of a background can help you get in this field. I highly recommend any type of logistics training.
(Heather Swanson): I want to study business, why should I switch to logistics?
(Gilberto Ponce-Civilian Logistician-US Army): (Uh) Logistics is more fun than business, (uh) business I think is more, (uh) structure and formal. Logistics is very challenging, you have so many areas in which you can jump to, and in business you are talking about maybe finance and marketing and more (uh, uh) straightforward and narrow areas for business. In logistics, you have to touch many areas to include marketing, finance, costing, purchasing and so on. So logistics, as a logistician, you have to be an expert in many different areas. And that makes the job very challenging and entertaining.
(Ben Stecker): Where in the Quad Cities can I study logistics?
(Tim Cottle-Program Director-“Joined by a River” DOL Project): You can study logistics and supply chain management here in the Quad Cities at Scott Community College, Blackhawk College, Iowa State University, and Western Illinois University.
(Ben Senftner): What is a typical day on the job like?
(Katie Brunet-Stock Room Clerk-Trinity Regional Health System): I’m Katie Brunet and I’m a stock room clerk. I make up orders, then pull and deliver the product. There is no typical day at Trinity because each day brings upon new challenges. The patient care staff depends on materials to do their jobs right.
(Chelsea Stephens): Is purchasing part of logistics?
(Pat Burken-Inventory Control Manager-Retail 500 Fortune Company): Purchasing is a large part of logistics. Somebody has to buy the products that you are going to either warehouse or distribute, or sell to an end user.
(Brandon Gleason): Do you offer training to new employees?
(Bruce Higgins-Eldridge Facility Manager-Genco Distribution Systems): We take training and development extremely serious within our company Genco. (Um) Starting out at entry level warehouse positions, you are placed (uh) with a knowledgeable person that walks you through and provides you one on one training from start to finish. And then we also offer you know, development opportunities (uh) to build on your basic skills.
(Brittany Marietta): Which course from high school are you really using in your job?
(Pat Burken-Inventory Control Manager-Retail 500 Fortune Company): (Uh) The biggest course in high school that I use every day is mathematics. (Uh) In my job, it, it’s definitely math is the number one skill that you need to have (um) basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. (Uh) In logistics you’ll need that for, to to have a good basis of how to inventory control, purchasing, transportation. (Uh) Math is probably the most critical subject.
(Brennen Schmertmann): Does a job in logistics require travel?
(Bruce Higgins-Eldridge Facility Manager-Genco Distribution Systems): There is some travel involved. For the, for the general warehouse worker, I mean that really doesn’t apply. (Uh) I myself as manager of the facility, I, I am required to do some traveling, (uh) I maybe travel (uh) a total of maybe 2 weeks (uh) out of (uh) every year. Now there are positions within, within our company (um) that almost solely thrive on travel.
(Marissa Diercks): What skills will I need?
(Jeff Meyer-Warehouse Manager-Nestle Purina-Pet Care): Communication skills, that’s both verbal and written skills, (um) good math skills, solid math skills, (um) computer experience, not to the level that I expect them to be programmers, but they need to be comfortable with changes in technology.
(Tim Cottle-Program Director-“Joined by a River” DOL Project): Accountability for ones actions, sound judgment, flexibility, teamwork, team building, and work ethics.
(Laura Blunk): What types of benefits do you offer?
(Bruce Higgins-Eldridge Facility Manager-Genco Distribution Systems): There’s (uh) health insurance, dental insurance, (um) vision insurance, 401k program, Genco actually provides a match (uh) to your deposits into that that account (um), we also, they also offer (uh) a Roth option, (uh) in regards to retirement. There are company car options, and that type of thing depending on you know your relationship with, within the company and your position. There, there really is a lot, a lot of benefits (um) that, that are available.
(Kevin Sipple): Thank you.