Concentration prepares in-demand workforce
by Cliff Welborn
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ones College of Business now offers an undergraduate concentration in Supply Chain Management as part of the Management major, providing students a better opportunity to compete for the numerous supply chain jobs in middle Tennessee. Local industry representatives recommended the formal concentration and helped to develop courses for it. Supply chain management was identified by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce as one of five industries that drive the middle Tennessee economy and by the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce as one of the county’s five high-wage, high-demand career choices. Tennessee’s central location in the eastern United States makes it attractive to firms specializing in supply chain and distribution services. Twenty-four states and 50% of the U.S. population lie within 650 miles of Nashville. These location advantages translate to one- and two-day truck delivery times to more than 75% of all U.S. markets. The demand for supply chain professionals in middle Tennessee is greater than the supply of college graduates who are trained in the field. Career options include supply Chris Zilly chain analyst, buyer, planner, inventory control specialist, logistics specialist, and capacity analyst. The program includes courses in supply chain, distribution, sourcing, project management, and continuous improvement. For students and professionals interested in continuing their supply chain management education, MTSU also offers an M.S. in Management with a Supply Chain Management Concentration. For more information about the concentration, contact Cliff Welborn at cliff.welborn@mtsu.edu.
PHOTOS BY J. INTINTOLI
“ MTSU’s supply chain program is full of relevant real-world examples that can be used immediately in the workforce. Classes such as Lean Project Management, Distribution Center Management, and Strategic Decision Making furthered my supply chain knowledge and gave me the tools needed to work with our internal and external stakeholders to solve many of the challenges facing our operations at the Nissan plant in Smyrna.” —Chris Zilly Management B.B.A., ’17 Supply Chain Manager Nissan North America 2019 | 43