I t has been obvious for some time that the field of supply chain management is facing a “talent gap.” By 2018, according to one prediction, 200,000 open supply chain jobs will lack qualified applicants. 1 Even though the number of supply chain-focused certifications and programs offered by technical schools, colleges, and universities continues to increase, it’s possible that for every graduate of a supply chain degree program, there will be six open positions. 2

Furthermore, many companies are finding that those recent graduates are not a perfect fit for the positions they have. This is due to another kind of talent gap: the gap between recent graduates’ perception of supply chain jobs and the reality of what those positions entail. Currently there is a dissonance between what employees and employers expect from each other. Many recent graduates see supply chain management as a technical profession that emphasizes the ability to analyze data and metrics. The

Many young supply chain professionals have unrealistic expectations about
job requirements and career paths. Employers and educators must do a better job
of communicating what skills and traits new hires will need in the real world.