At Argentus Talent Acquisition, we know that Supply Chain Management is one of the hottest fields out there. How else could we focus our entire recruiting practice on such a narrow vertical? You don’t see entire recruiting firms dedicated to hiring in verticals like journalism, or in print publishing. And why not? People in those industries know that they’re on the way out, so when they get a job, they cling to it like it’s life or death. But in Supply Chain, there are always opportunities for advancement for the right candidate, whether it’s to a bigger company or to a role with more responsibility and strategic oversight. That’s because with globalization and the economic recovery picking up, Supply Chain professionals are needed more than ever in all sorts of industries to maximize efficiency and cause strong cost savings. 

So our clients, such as Multinational corporations or smaller National companies, are constantly coming to us with new and really interesting positions to fill, both on a permanent and contingent/contract basis. And qualified candidates in Supply Chain are a HOT COMMODITY.

But just how hot?

An article in the Supply Chain Management Review just published revealed information about Supply Chain Management salaries based on education level. And the information it cited is enough to make any adrift soul contemplate a career in Supply Chain. Here are some top line numbers SCMR revealed, taking data from the 2012 Logistics Management Salary Survey:

• ·        Top undergrads coming out of college are taking jobs that pay between $52,000-$60,000.
• ·        The average salary of Supply Chain professionals in 2012 was $99,600.
• ·        Individuals with at least some formal education (that is a BA or BSC in CANADA – that’s an expected requirement) in Supply Chain, Procurement/Strategic Sourcing and logistics can earn an average of $116,500.
• ·        Holding an MBA takes you to an average salary of $134,575.

Now, these numbers are U.S. statistics, and we’re still on the hunt for more detailed Canadian statistics, but with the U.S. economy still anemic, we’re willing to bet the numbers are on par for Canadian SCM careers. The bottom line is that an education in Supply Chain Management can kick start your career and improve your earning power. But get this:

According to the data, Supply Chain Management professionals with only a high school education and on-the-job training can still be expected to earn an average of $81,000 a year. Seriously?

So why aren’t candidates flooding in? The article quotes Robert Cook, a professor of Marketing and Logistics at Central Michigan University, who says that there are two factors at work. First: the baby boomers are retiring, leaving senior positions open. Second: there’s just a shortage of Supply Chain graduates. He says: “Employers can’t get enough of Supply Chain graduates right now, and we can’t turn them out fast enough.”

I’m willing to bet that as statistics like this come out, more and more young people will cotton on to the immense opportunities in this important 21^st century field. But for us at Argentus, the hunt, as always, continues. We live the SCM talent search 7/24 for our clients for ongoing contract and permanent roles such as Strategic Sourcing Managers, Procurement Sole Contributors, Supply Chain Planners, Demand & Supply Planners and executives in Strategic Initiatives and Materials Management as well as Transportation/Distribution, for example

Check out the Supply Chain Management Review article here:

The Education / Salary Connection — by Bridget McCrea, published February 4^th, 2013:  http://www.scmr.com/article/the_education-salary_connection