Introduction
It is normally a daunting task for people to choose a career. Particularly, this emerges when choosing careers that match with their interests, capacities, and skills. The challenge remains eminent due to many factors. For instance, the available career options appear lucrative and highly competitive in the job market. Indicatively, comparing and contrasting between logistics and supply chain management reveals some minor differences.
Thesis Statement
The debates about logistics and supply chain management (SCM) differ in the two careers. However, this paper agrees that there is no clear distinction between logistics and SCM because many of their aspects such as specialization, job related functions, and training needs show some similarities.
Job Opportunities
There are many job opportunities for people undertaking SCM than for logisticians. The coordination of logistical activities is a component of SCM. Therefore, people who study SCM normally get a considerable amount of training in logistics within the coursework. Logistics also has a supply sub system. People might misconstrue this to connote SCM (CSCMP).
The focus of supply within logistics is apparently concerned with moving merchandises. However, logisticians essentially supply products already scheduled by supply chain managers. Clearly, the scope of SCM is greater than that of logistics. This indicates that job opportunities for logisticians are fewer as opposed to the ones for supply chain managers.
Career growth
The study of logistics course at college level focuses on a narrow scope.
Comparatively, the training for SCM includes many broad topics. Some of these might include logistics. Therefore, people with SCM qualifications have more opportunities for career growth. Logisticians lack this potential for a wider career development. Larger companies have divided their SCM responsibilities into diverse categories.
The aim is to create more positions including logistical roles. This presents greater chances for career growth (The Editor). Furthermore, there are notable distinctions in the future training for both areas. Logisticians may find it hard to venture into SCM. The initiative is unlikely to promote specialization. Conversely, persons trained on SCM have more opportunities to specialize in diverse fields.
Salary Scales
Many factors determine the salaries for professionals within the fields of logistics and SCM. Observably, both fields attract incentive payments in addition to the original salaries. However, logistician’s salaries are greater. Many companies provide a huge percentage of incentives to their logistical staff (Hodgson 327).
This makes the salary scale for logisticians better than the pay. This observation is contrary to the case of the SCM staff. For example, mid level management salary range for logisticians may be average between $69,200 and $ 100,000. The same position in SCM may attract a salary range of $56,000 – $ 85,000. Additionally, a company can offer their vice president of logistics an average salary of $288,500. Meanwhile, a vice president for SCM may get $224,000 (National Guidance Research Forum).
Statistics of the Future Career Growth in Logistics
The logistics sector is likely to increase over next decades. Globalization, expanding technology and enhanced infrastructure may play an important role in this. The sector is likely to remain stable because of its specificity. Many companies will demand personnel with specific qualifications rather than people trained in broader areas (National Guidance Research Forum).
Part – time job opportunities will reach 20% by 2014 while female logisticians will also reach 30% of the total sector employment. Innovativeness in the sector is likely to escalate the number of individuals engaged in self-employment. The lack of specificity in SCM is likely to affect the sector in future.
Works Cited
CSCMP. What is Supply Chain Management? 2011. Web.
Hodgson, Susan. A – Z of Careers and Jobs. London: Kogan Page, 2010. Print.
National Guidance Research Forum. Promoting Evidence Based Policy and Practice in Careers Work. n.d. Web.
The Editor. Career Overview: Supply Chain Management. Wetfeet. Web.