SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today APICS, the professional association for supply chain management, published the results of its Millennials in Supply Chain research report, conducted by Peerless Research Group in conjunction with Supply Chain Management Review (SCMR) and the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC). A survey carried out in April 2017 was designed to gain insight into millennials as a critical segment of the supply chain workforce. The report finds that millennials are focused, engaged, enthused and committed to working in supply chain management, and reveals that supply chain represents a sought-after, dynamic and rewarding long-term career choice for professionals in their 20s and 30s.
“The results of the report are eye-opening, especially when compared to the more senior supply chain professionals in leadership positions, who were part of a previous study from APICS and SCMR in 2016,” said APICS CEO, Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CAE, CPA. “We see that more millennials started their career in supply chain, are moving around less, are highly satisfied with their jobs and see more opportunities for advancement in the field.”
The report shows millennials have a diverse interest in activities that span the end-to-end supply chain. Notably, the area that holds most appeal, supply chain design and planning, is a role that touches all areas of supply chain. The millennials surveyed also said they find their careers personally rewarding. Eighty-one percent feel they can make a difference in the supply chain field, 87 percent believe working in the field will help with their personal growth and development, and 88 percent agree that there are opportunities for advancement within the field.
Diversity topped the list of what millennials consider most important about the field and the companies for which they work. Eighty-five percent noted that supply chain involves a diverse workforce and encompasses people of all types, which additional findings that more women are now entering the field also reflect. Respondents were roughly two-thirds male (61 percent) and one-third female (39 percent), compared to the 2016 survey of senior supply chain leaders, in which 76 percent of respondents were men while only 24 percent were women.
However, just as earlier research of senior managers in 2016 showed a pay gap between males and females, there is a gender wage gap among millennials. Men and women start at roughly the same salary, but the disparity grows larger as they move up the career ladder. This disparity is chief among complaints from millennials surveyed, along with frustration around the attitude towards millennials by older generations in their organizations and a disconnected feeling from the big picture or a lack of purpose in the workplace.
“Despite some noted frustrations, millennials are continuous learners and fast movers who are eager to advance,” Eshkenazi concluded. “To address the ongoing skills gap, industry expectations, priorities and communication styles must adapt to and embrace the different needs of this younger generation. Millennials are growing and learning on the job in an era of lean, optimized, end-to-end supply chains and are critical to the ongoing transformation of the industry.”
To read the full details of this news visit: http://www.apics.org/millennials
About the Survey
In April 2017, Peerless Research Group (the research division of Peerless Media, LLC, which owns Supply Chain Management Review), in conjunction with APICS, APQC and Supply Chain Management Review, conducted a survey to gain insight into millennials as a critical segment of the supply chain workforce.
Subscribers of SCMR, Modern Materials Handling and Logistics Management magazines, along with members of APICS and APQC, received the survey. The goal of the research was to better understand how millennials become involved in the supply chain field and their viewpoints about working in today’s supply chain.
Results are based on 676 respondents working in supply chain management who were pre-qualified for being between the ages of 22 and 37, born between 1980 and 1995. At a 95 percent confidence level, results are projectable at a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percent.
About APICS
APICS is the association for supply chain management and the leading provider of research, education and certification programs that elevate supply chain excellence, innovation and resilience. The APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM); APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP); APICS Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD); and APICS Supply Chain Operations Reference-Professional (SCOR-P) designations set the industry standard. With more than 45,000 members and approximately 300 channel partners, APICS is transforming the way people do business, drive growth and reach global customers. For more information, visit apics.org.
