3 Ways my Supply Chain Courses Have Prepared me for an Operations Internship

Over the last three years, I’ve gotten to learn from one of the best supply chain departments in the country here at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. I’ve taken classes that range from procurement, to transportation and distribution to plain intro to supply chain management. Through these courses, I always wondered what a career in supply chain might entail and how my studies would help me achieve my professional goals. As I near the end of my internship with J.B. Hunt and approach my senior year of college, I’ve began to reflect on what lessons have really impacted my education and what practices my professors have used to make supply chain come alive. With that being said, here are the three most valuable ways my professors have helped me learn from my supply chain courses at the University of Arkansas.

1. Laying the foundation

In my earlier courses like procurement and intro to supply chain, I was able to absorb a great deal of information about the most basic concepts in the industry. Whether it was forecasting demand or learning about how to pick a supplier, I was able to lay the foundation for my supply chain education before moving on to more advanced concepts like include data analytics and loss prevention.

At the end of the day, a lot of problems that occur in the supply chain can be boiled down to their most basic form to find a solution. In my internship specifically, I use the basics of understanding lead times and safety stock to my advantage when helping with scheduling and product flow. Basic topics like these have helped me establish the principles that are critical to recognize in more complex, real world situations.

2. Utilizing Case Studies

Taking a look at both the past and present issues is a major part of supply chain. It is a necessity that we, as industry professionals, acknowledge what issues have been faced in the past and how to remedy those issues moving forward. Case studies have been the best way I’ve seen that applied in a classroom.

After completing numerous case studies in countless classes, I’ve gained the critical thinking and reasoning skills that are essential to the supply chain industry. These case studies are not just another assignment, but rather an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and successes of different companies. This can clearly be applied in any day to day task performed by a supply chain professional or intern in my case. Gathering the information and context of any issue and using that information to come to a conclusion is a basic, yet crucial part of limiting variability in a supply chain to achieve the best returns and performance.

3. External Guest Lectures

While I have loved the traditional lecture portions of my courses, one teaching technique I’ve seen a lot of professors use is bringing in guest lecturers to discuss the supply chain realm with students and young professionals. Just in the past two months, I’ve been fortunate enough to listen to guest lecturers from Walmart’s senior supply chain directors, Marten Transport’s logistics team as well as BNSF’s railroad operations team. Discussing supply chain issues with industry leaders has been one of the best ways I’ve found to prepare myself for problem solving in an on-site environment.

Guest lecturers hold a special place in every student’s education, myself included. I have learned an extensive amount about crisis management as well as industry trends from speakers in my classes and have applied that knowledge in my day-to-day tasks when faced with delays, unexpected obstacles and everyday inconsistencies.

??????These course objectives are just a few of the numerous ways the Sam M. Walton college of business has helped me prepare for my career in supply chain and I’m looking forward to seeing how my education is reinforced in my future endeavors.