Supply Chain & Logistics

What is Supply Chain & Logistics?

Did you know that there are over 200,000 women driving big rigs professionally in the U.S.? There’s so much more to Supply Chain and Logistics (SCM) than truck driving, though. The field of supply chain management and logistics is a huge part of our everyday lives. Almost every item in your house is connected to a supply chain. Most goods are created and shipped via a complex global network to get to your neighborhood. If this sounds good to you, you can be part of this chain in a wide variety of exciting ways.

The fantastic thing about working in Supply Chain is that there is literally something for everyone. Supply Chain is so broad based that anyone choosing this career path can find something to fulfill their goals and objectives.

BrewDog USA Supply Chain Manager Discusses the Field of Logistics

As a graduate of Columbus State’s Supply Chain and Logistics Program, Miranda Dietz gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her field of study and current role as BrewDog USA’s Supply Chain Manager.

"...you're so cross-functional that you support every single division of the business: sales, marketing, production. You're going to touch so many pieces of the role itself that you're likely going to find something that really drives you and you've already got a foot in 10 different doors doing that."

A Day on the Job with Miranda Dietz, Supply Chain Manager at BrewDog USA

Miranda Dietz, a Columbus State graduate, shares her favorite parts of her role as the Supply Chain Manager at BrewDog USA.

"Being a woman in the brewing industry gives me a lot of pride because there's not a lot of us out there yet. It's fun. It's fast-paced. It's constantly re-prioritizing competing priorities.

For me to be depended on that highly, to be....that secure in my role, that's just amazing."

Fun Facts
  • 81% of young professionals working in supply chain say that it was the right career choice. Source: Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals 2017 Survey.

  • The supply chain industry is striving to close the talent gap and bring more women into leadership roles.

  • Each year, 300,000 new logistic-related jobs are created.

  • There are more female long-haul truckers than you might expect. In the U.S., there are over 200,000 women that drive big rigs professionally, and that figure is expected to climb in the coming years as more women become aware of the opportunity.

“One thing I wish I had known before beginning my career in supply chain management is that it’s more about being a people person,” says Hew Blair, chairman and buying director of Justerini & Brooks Ltd. ...“But the reality is that no supply chain can exist without the teams of professionals who perform the processes, illustrate the best practices and operate all that technology.”

About Supply Chain Management & Logistics

  • Simply put, Logistics is the physical movement and storage of goods.
  • Supply Chain Management, SCM, is all the other activities that make the logistics possible.
  • Trucking, working in a distribution center – these are type of logistics jobs. Transportation Planning and Distribution Management are types of Supply Chain Management (SCM).
  • Click here to learn more.

Get Started on the WISE Supply Chain & Logistics Pathways

The storage of goods and their distribution includes receipt of goods, inventory, storage, picking, packing, and then shipping to the customer.

The movement of goods and raw materials via basic transportation, such as motor, air, ocean, rail, and pipeline. Operations includes the planning of all movement and related activities.

Strategic planning and coordination for the storage and movement of goods.

Technology and automation are used in daily Supply Chain Management (SCM) & Logistics industry activities.