New Jersey Education for Supply Chain Managers

The career field for supply chain managers (SCMs) is steadily growing across the country. But what do these specialists do? A supply chain is the chain of events that a product or service must undergo before reaching the hands of the consumer. Imagine a product being designed, manufactured, shipped, stored and sold. That’s a supply chain process. SCMs or logisticians design, monitor and troubleshoot these complex systems.

While one SCM may focus on the gathering of raw materials and production aspects of the supply chain, another might be more involved in the marketing and sales portion. Some logisticians oversee the entire supply chain, from start to finish. It all depends on the level of education and specialization each logistician acquires.

Do you have what it takes to become a logistician? If you like paying attention to detail, are interested in the business field and enjoy running complex processes, this might be the career for you. Typical work weeks for logisticians are 40 hours long but sometimes require overtime work as well. They work in an office setting most of the time, whether on-site at a company or in a home office where they manage clients.

Many Bachelor’s Degree Options

New Jersey holds plenty of bachelor’s degree options for those who wish to enter the supply chain management field. Three schools offering bachelor’s degrees in SCM are:

Rutgers Business School.Located in New Brunswick, this school’s Supply Chain Management major teaches the comprehensive knowledge and technical skills needed to find employment in supply chain management. The Rutgers Business School reports that it’s tied for number two in the nation. Over 95 percent of graduates land entry-level jobs by the summer after they graduate.
Seton Hall University, Stillman School of Business. The Bachelor of Science Degree in Supply Chain Management focuses on ethics-centered education and is designed for working individuals. Students must take pre-qualification courses from the Stillman School of Business to be accepted into the program. They can also opt to take a challenge exam, which will excuse them from the prerequisite courses.
Rider University. In Lawrenceville, this school offers a Bachelor of Science in Global Supply Chain Management. The College of Business Administration is accredited by AACSB. It’s easy for students to double major in another subject along with this major. Rider reports that over 95 percent of graduates got jobs in SCM within three months of graduation. The curriculum includes hands-on internships and mentoring opportunities.

Find Your Specialty with a Master’s Degree

It’s not required to earn a master’s degree in SCM, but many logisticians do. This is because a graduate degree allows you to master even more skills and possibly specialize in a certain area of supply chain management. These are some schools offering master’s degrees in New Jersey:

Rutgers University. Earn a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management online. While the program is 100 percent online, a residency option is available. The length of the program is 30 credits or 10 courses, which can be completed in one year. Students gain access to Rutgers Business School career development resources.
Rowan University. On the Glassboro and Camden campuses, you can pursue your Master of Business Administration Degree in Supply Chain and Logistical Systems. Students in this program learn to conceptualize logistical systems and manage resources. The degree consists of 12 graduate classes equaling 35 credit-hours. Rowan’s program is designed to accommodate both full-time students and full-time employees. To be accepted, students must provide: a bachelor’s degree, current professional resume, cumulative GPA of 2.5 and two letters of recommendation, among other requirements.

Beginner Programs in Supply Chain Management

There is a host of shorter programs that will introduce you to the field of supply chain management. You’ll still need your bachelor’s degree to gain traditional SCM employment, but these programs and courses can get you started on the technical side of SCM:

Essex County College. This school has campuses in Newark and West Caldwell. The Associate of Science in Supply Chain Management prepares students to enter the field on a technical level, teaching them the basics. It also primes students to take four-year degrees in supply chain management. The program is two years or shorter if students take summer courses. This AS Degree can be easily bridged to a four-year degree.
Union County College. Located in Cranford, this school offers a shorter Supply Chain Management curriculum. Each specialized supply chain management course is 40 hours long. The program is designed for those who are already employed in the field so they can become certified through the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).

Types of Certifications Logisticians Pursue

While certification is not a requirement for SCMs, it can definitely help them add leverage to their careers, command higher pay and find better job opportunities. Employers like knowing the people they hire have knowledge that meets national standards.

The most valuable types of certification you can earn are from APICS,and include:

Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)
Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD)
SCOR Professional (SCOR-P) Endorsement

APICS also provides training that will prepare you to take certification tests.

What It’s Like to Be a New Jersey Logistician

Logisticians in New Jersey are paid very well compared to the rest of the country, with a reported mean income of $38.01 per hour in 2017. The national median income for this field, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was just $35.86 by comparison that same year.

The growth rate for logistician employmentis also higher in New Jersey than it is nationally. The Projections Managing Partnership projects that logistician employment will grow 10.3 percent by 2026, with an average of 790 new job openings per year.

Getting Started in New Jersey

To figure out the best places to work as a logistician, just look at the statistics. In 2018, the New Jersey city that employed the highest number of logisticians was Trenton. This city also ranked highest in the state for logistician employment rates per 1,000 jobs. However, the highest paid logisticians in New Jersey in 2018 worked in the Atlantic City-Hammonton area.

Are you thinking about becoming a supply chain manager? Because there are so many education options for logisticians in New Jersey, you should be able to find something that works for you. The outlook for this career in New Jersey looks excellent, so begin researching your educational opportunities today.