88 2024-2025 | Tennessee Career Guide Supply chains are a key component of modern economies, playing a crucial role in the production and distribution of goods and services. With supply chain dis- ruptions, product shortages, and delivery delays continuing to make headlines, the importance of knowledgeable and quali- fied supply chain professionals is more ev- ident than ever. Supply chain specialists manage manufac- turing, transportation, warehousing, inven- tory, packaging, and logistics information, dealing with everything from common consumer goods like food, electricity, nat- ural gas, and heating oil for homes to life- saving equipment and supplies. “Supply chain management is integral to almost all manufacturing and service-ori- ented businesses. Supply chains reduce costs, minimize waste, improve productiv- ity, mitigate risks, and provide competitive advantages. Supply chain innovation is not limited to cost reduction and effi- ciency but also continues to increase focus on minimizing environmental impact, conserving resources, and promoting so- cial responsibility,” explained Dr. Richard Tarpey, an assistant professor in Middle Tennessee State University’s Supply Chain Management program. He continued, “Supply chains are also crucial to national security, providing de- fense readiness, infrastructure protection, economic stability, technological innova- tion, and management of strategic re- sources. Supply chains are also at the center of environmental sustainability in- novations, including how products are packaged and delivered to customers.” Profession Overview Work Sector: Transportation/Logistics Skills: Problem-solving, teamwork, decision-making Current Number Positions (US): 191,000 in 2020 (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Estimated Growth 2020-2030 (US): 31% (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Median Salary (TN): $116,000 (Salary.com) COVID Impact: 95% of supply chain professionals kept their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) Information On This Career Provided By: Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 615-898-2300 www.mtsu.edu Information written by: DeAnn Hays Supply chain management keeps booming Supply Chain Management Photography by Shutterstock®
