Inside Nordam: My Internship Experience in Supply Chain

Before I speak about my experience as a supply chain management intern, it is important to discuss the industry I am working in. I have the incredible opportunity to work in the aerospace industry, for Nordam, a private aerospace company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The aerospace industry has a remarkably similar supply chain process to most manufacturing and repair companies, regardless of the industry. It consists of the general facets of a supply chain from transportation and logistics to supplier development. Although my title is broad as a “supply chain management intern,” I focus on inventory management and supplier development. Specifically for my project, I am working to optimize Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) units (bins) that contain fasteners and parts for aerospace applications. To provide a more in-depth analysis of my project, it is important to cover what VMI is and its significance.

What is VMI?

Vendor Managed Inventory is a collaborative strategy in supply chain management where the supplier assumes responsibility for managing and replenishing the customer's inventory. This practice shifts the burden of inventory control from the customer to the supplier, aiming to optimize inventory levels, reduce costs, and improve overall supply chain efficiency. VMI can take several different forms and it usually depends on its specific purpose. For my project, I am working with “bin towers,” which are large cabinets with drawers that contain a variety of fasteners. VMI serves a crucial purpose in manufacturing, which I will discuss next.

Why use VMI?

The purpose of a VMI system is to improve the efficiency and organization of ordering and storing parts. The supplier does the heavy lifting for you and will order, stock, and fill the inventory, ideally before your original quantity runs out. The VMI bin towers or cabinets are strategically located for efficient “point-of-use,” meaning that people should be able to source their parts quickly from a close bin tower, instead of walking far distances or frantically searching other areas for parts. Using a VMI system allows for better inventory organization and increased efficiency on the production floor.

My Project:

I have been tasked with analyzing the usage data for 4,000 bins (bins that hold fasteners) to improve cost savings and cost prevention. I have compiled an immense amount of data to make data-driven suggestions to remove and adjust inventory levels, and physically make the changes. I work daily with Excel to conduct a high-level analysis of these bins and create an interface for feedback. Once I conducted my analysis and made my suggestions, I then had to receive feedback from operations since numerous parts have uncertain demand. I can then use the feedback to dissect the bins and physically make those changes. Unfortunately, this process is extremely time-consuming and is more sophisticated than meets the eye. The level of analysis and time spent to get to this portion of the project has taken many weeks. As I continue to collect bins, we can return unopened fasteners to the supplier for a refund and place the open fasteners into storage. This is where the cost savings and cost prevention come from, which is the goal of this project. Throughout the project I have learned several important lessons that I would like to share with future interns, or anyone starting a new role:

Do not be afraid to ask questions: It can be nerve-wracking to finally start your internship role, especially since you may not have previous experience. There can be a significant learning curve in your onboarding process, and that is more than okay. I can assure you that your coworkers, mentors, and peers are more than happy to help you with any questions you may have. As an intern they expect you to ask questions and engage in the work at hand.

The internet is your best friend: As I noted before, it is important to ask questions, but it is also important to attempt to work through problems or questions you may have first. The internet is an incredible resource that can be utilized to guide and answer your questions. Looking at my role specifically, I often use Microsoft Excel in my daily tasks. I know that I have much to learn in Excel, as I have only used it for a few years; The internet is an amazing resource I have used to figure out equations and answer any questions I have while using Excel. My recommendation: use your resources and try to find a solution, before asking a question. Yes, of course, you can still ask questions, this is just a good mindset to have as it builds your critical thinking skills.

Take the reigns: During your internship, you will most likely receive help from a mentor or coworker to guide your project or tasks. Guidance is helpful when you are first starting your role, but once you begin to feel comfortable in your role you must put in the work yourself. It is especially important to realize that the project you are working on is your responsibility. Do not wait for others to come to help you or walk you through every step of the process. Your internship is a learning experience and should not be easy. Taking this approach will drastically improve your planning, organization, and critical thinking skills. It will also allow you to gain more insightful experience from your internship, and help you get the most out of your brief time with the company.

I would like to say thank you for reading my article about my internship experience. If you have any questions about what you have read, please feel free to message me on LinkedIn!