SCMAP Perspective is our fortnightly column on PortCalls, tackling the latest developments in the supply chain industry, as well as updates from within SCMAP. On this column, Henrik Batallones further explores the question of supply chain education in the country.
Starting points
At a forum conducted by industrial engineering students of the University of Asia and the Pacific last week, a question was raised about the state of supply chain education in the country. In particular, they asked if there is a need for a dedicated supply chain degree program to respond to the increased demand for supply chain professionals in the country and in the region.
I was one of the panelists, filling in for our president Dennis Llovido. I argued that regardless of what one studied, they will get relevant supply chain experience on the job. Many of the supply chain leaders I have met did not study supply chain formally, although it’s because there weren’t such programs at the time. Some came to supply chain after working in manufacturing. Some worked in finance. Some even came from sales and marketing.
But one of my fellow panelists, Jollibee’s Nilo Siongco, argued that having studied supply chain, at least as an elective rather than a full-fledged program, would still help. He says it would provide the student with the necessary background to be able to keep up with the demands of their work. While one can still learn from the job, they don’t have to start from zero.
He has a good point, especially now that there are many supply chain programs in the market today. Most of them are in continuing education, like our certificate course with De La Salle University. We kicked off our sixth run of classes a couple of weeks back, and I was reminded of the profile of those who take such programs. Some are entrepreneurs. Some are working in a specific supply chain function – procurement, say, or warehousing – and are looking to have a stronger grasp of the entire profession. Some are working outside, but alongside, supply chain professionals and are looking for a greater understanding to do their work better.
Outside of those courses, there remain many other starting points to a supply chain career, whether directly or alongside it. I’m thinking of the many startups alongside the supply chain, from service providers to solution developers. Again, it’s the aspect of on-the-job learning that allows them to understand the nuances of the profession, coming alongside the novel approach that comes with not coming from a supply chain background.
But this discussion inadvertently focuses only on those who enter the profession from a management route. In the Philippines in particular, there remains a reliance on workers in the warehouse, from case pickers to forklift operators, and to their direct supervisors. While technology is helping to make their jobs easier – make them slightly less manual – I believe they should also be given a clearer path to a rewarding career in supply chain.
It would also be great to provide this option to the current crop of students who are thinking of their career prospects. If they feel the path to a supply chain career requires a college degree, and they are not in a position to take it, then they wouldn’t take it. Addressing this would go a long way in addressing the continuing talent gap in the industry, and would also realize the full potential of the K-12 basic education system now being implemented in the country.
A couple of months back the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Education, and Thames International School signed a memorandum of agreement putting in motion an e-commerce track for senior high school students. For the moment, this means public school teachers will be trained to ably offer this track, which focuses on entrepreneurship and digital marketing. It strikes me as a good template for furthering supply chain education. Perhaps a supply chain track? Students can learn the fundamentals of, say, warehousing and transportation, as well as forecasting and planning. That should allow them to go straight to jobs that require such competencies without the need for a college degree – although it should not preclude them from pursuing one should they wish.
The best part is we won’t be starting from scratch. There already is a wealth of initiatives related to supply chain education under the auspices of the government, in partnership with the private sector. The Philippine Skills Framework launched a few years ago was first launched with a focus on supply chain management. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has developed several national certifications relating to supply chain, with the help of groups like SCMAP and the Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association. It looks like all that we need to do is to harmonize these elements and truly push for stronger supply chain education, at all levels, in the country.
And I don’t say this just because I represent one of the largest supply chain organizations in the country. The Philippines frankly needs more supply chain talent to address ongoing problems in the country. Last week the Ibon Foundation, citing figures from the United Nations, says our country is one of the most food-insecure nations in the region, with 44.1% of Filipinos not able to buy enough food for their needs. Efforts to improve food logistics are underway, but we will need more people to truly see this through. In this case, and many others, change can truly start from the ground – and it starts with giving Filipinos more starting points to better understand the interconnectivity of our economy and, more crucially, what they can do to strengthen those connections.