Ten industries for supply chain operations managers

- One way to protect yourself form the ups and downs of the economy is to build a flexible career. So in this video we'll look at how supply chain professionals can add value in number of very different industries. Technology companies make hardware and software and they have supply chains. Hardware companies buy parts, software companies buy computers. In addition to the physical supply chains, digital supply chains are very important to tech companies. Supply chain folks can also work in professional services as consultants or analysts. Consultants work with companies to make improvements and analysts look across an industry studying trends. Financial companies like banks and insurers need to manage a supply chain that includes all of the equipment and computers in their offices. Government supply chains are enormous. Every government department, every school, and every non profit has a supply chain. There's been a growing need for supply chain management in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Medicines need to be kept a specific temperatures and expire if they sit around for too long. In a hospital, the supply chain insures that all of the equipment that the doctors and nurses need is available. The oil and energy industry employs supply chain professionals all around the world. They support drilling, distribution, and refining and they ship products using virtually every mode of transportation. Retail stores depend on supply chain professionals to optimize their inventory and transportation processes. They often need to pay special attention to the impact of promotions and the ups and downs of fashion. Communications companies are built with lots of electronics and cabling. Managing those supply chains well is essential for keeping our internet and cellphone infrastructure working. The companies that manufacture things like cars, tractors, and airplanes, deal with a huge number of different parts. In addition to their manufacturing supply chains, these companies also have supply chains for service parts to keep their equipment running and working as a temporary employee through a staffing firm can be a good way to see many different companies from the inside and it can lead to longer term opportunities. The truth is there are supply chains in every industry. If you focus on developing your expertise as a supply chain professional you'll be an attractive candidate for many different roles. So no matter how your company is doing today it's a good idea to keep your skills sharp. That way you can be confident you'll have lots of opportunities to work with companies that really value what you bring to the table.