Closing the Gap in Undergraduate Supply Chain Education through Live Experiential Learning

Abstract

With the supply chain industry suffering from a lack of available managerial talent, U.S. companies are stepping up efforts to recruit qualified and skilled professionals from universities. The supply chain industry will need to fill about 1.4 million new jobs over the next four years, but there are concerns regarding where the talent will come from given that demand greatly exceeds supply. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for supply chain management will increase by 20 percent through 2018, which is nearly twice as fast as the 11 percent average for all industries combined. The Georgia Center of Innovation also reports that the U.S. will be short one million supply chain workers in 2016 alone. Related to the talent shortage, industry has also made clear that they are struggling to evolve their supply chain processes to match business needs. Nearly a third of all supply chain processes are inadequate, according to research from Crimson & Co. In response to these industry demands, Western Michigan University’s Integrated Supply Management Program has placed a strong focus on process management through lean problem-solving techniques. This paper reflects on the industry factors that are currently hampering the process of matching new college graduates with professional positions. It also describes how WMU’s ISM undergraduate program is successfully bridging those gaps and preparing its students by partnering with local businesses on live experiential learning projects.