5 reasons why Supply Chain and Logistics grads are the unsung heroes of industry

This article was written in collaboration with DHL. Find out more about graduate roles and internships and graduate roles with DHL on the Debut app.

What do you picture when someone says the word ‘hero’ to you? Probably a caped crusader like Superman, a masked vigilante like Deadpool or, if you’re Liverpudlian, Steven Gerrard. Well, we’re here to celebrate a different kind of hero. One that keeps businesses ticking over, products in the right hands and without whom no industry on the planet could exist. We’re talking of course about Supply Chain and Logistics.

Supply Chain & Logistics and those who work in this industry are the circulatory system behind many of the world’s largest industries, while also being a huge sector in itself. In a world where demand is becoming more instantaneous, the efficient transfer of products and materials from business to manufacturer to customer is crucial. No company knows this better than DHL, with graduates on their Supply Chain and Logistics being right on the forefront of this challenging and exciting process. Here’s why they are the unsung heroes of industry.

They are constantly called upon to innovate

The crux of Supply Chain and Logistics isn’t just about getting things from A to B. It’s about how a company like DHL can get from A to B (and all places in between) as efficiently as possible, leaving only satisfied customers.  To do this, they must apply the keenest logic (hence the name, logistics) science and technology to find solutions.

This is evolving constantly with changes to products, company needs and the world at large, so the level of planning, review and quick thinking required is almost herculean. As a graduate, you can expect to be heavily involved in the changes as they happen.

They collaborate to make things happen

It takes a full team effort to plan and execute a supply chain that runs in 220 countries all over the globe. That’s why DHL Supply Chain graduates work closely with other businesses. Together, they go over the plan for all logistics, forecasting the amount of product they can move, with first-class customer service every step of the way.

A well thought-out and organised supply chain can change a companies fortunes and revolutionise their growth. In order for a company to expand internationally, companies like DHL – and grads like you – will need to be on hand to provide the customer with this.

They’re adept with technology

Of course, in this day and age, an operation so complex on such a global scale would not be possible for DHL without cutting-edge technology. Next-level innovations are prevalent all the way through the logistics process, from warehouse to transport to customer.

Take for instance the EffiBOT, made in collaboration with a French start-up – a fully automated trolley which follows warehouse pickers as they’re gathering packages and can even drive itself back to the pickup point when full. Or the DHL SmartSensor, which tells couriers at a glance the temperature and status of  highly sensitive life sciences and healthcare freight on its journey across the world.

They’re even experimenting with augmented reality in their Dutch warehouses, something which along with automation is certainly going to shape the workplace of the future. If you want a graduate job with tech on the forefront, look no further than DHL.

You only get to see the end of a long process

As you can see, Supply Chain and Logistics is about way more than delivering packages. It’s a process that stretches all the way back through the supply and manufacture of all your favourite goods and services. DHL provide an end-to-end service which mean their customer don’t want for anything from product manufacture all the way to delivery.

But it’s not just about the process, it’s the people of DHL that makes the intricate world of Supply Chain and Logistics possible. DHL’s diverse workforce is a team and if you join it, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to showcase your people management and collaboration skills as well as your own individual talents in the varied world of Supply Chain and Logistics.

DHL will be opening applications for their 2019 intake on the 24th September, 2018 – including the new Future Leaders Programme. For more information please visit DHL’s career pages here  and be sure to check out their roles on the Debut app!

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