Considering a career in supply chain management, but want the real story before making your decision? Smart move. Like any career path, working in supply chain has its highs and lows, and what feels like a dream job to one person might be a nightmare to another.
The field offers genuine opportunities and benefits that make it attractive to many professionals, but it also comes with challenges that can catch newcomers off guard. Before you commit to training programs or start job hunting, it's worth understanding both sides of the coin.
Here's an honest look at what you can expect from a career in supply chain management: the good, the challenging, and everything in between.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Why Choose a Career in Supply Chain Management?
- The Advantages of Supply Chain Careers
- The Challenges of Supply Chain Careers
- How to Know if Supply Chain Management is the Right Fit
- How Training Programs Can Prepare You
WHY CHOOSE A CAREER IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT?
Supply chains are the backbone of the world economy. We are totally reliant on global supply chains to get what we need when we need it.
Have you ever ordered something online and had to wait a really long time for delivery? Chances are, something went wrong with the supply chain.
Maybe the company ran out of stock and your item got back-ordered. Or their transportation carrier got overwhelmed with too many orders and couldn’t deliver on time.
This is why companies are always looking for talented supply chain professionals. They need people who can save them money and improve the ways their products are moved from point A to point B.
When you improve the supply chain, you improve profits. That's what every employer is looking for.
Diverse Career Opportunities
This is a vast field. There are many links in the supply chain, each with its own array of job opportunities and areas of specialization. You could focus on:
- Procurement – managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and sourcing materials
- Logistics – coordinating transportation, warehousing, and distribution to ensure timely delivery
- Operations – streamlining processes to boost efficiency and reduce costs
- Inventory management – overseeing stock levels
- Demand planning – forecasting product needs
- Supply chain analysis – using data to optimize performance
Inventory management is one of many areas you could specialize in
THE ADVANTAGES OF SUPPLY CHAIN CAREERS
Some of the biggest pros of working in the supply chain field include:
Job Stability
Supply chain roles are essential to keeping goods moving, even during global crises or trade disruptions.
When tariffs or geopolitical tensions arise, companies often double down on supply chain expertise to navigate cost pressures, reroute logistics, and secure alternative suppliers. This makes supply chain professionals less likely to face layoffs compared to roles in more volatile sectors like retail or manufacturing.
On any given day, there are thousands of supply chain-related job postings on sites like Indeed and Workopolis. And over the next few years, the Government of Canada Job Bank projects moderate-to-good demand in most provinces for several relevant roles, including:
- Material handler
- Shipper-receiver
- Buyer
- Supply chain supervisor
- Purchasing manager
- Logistics coordinator
Advancement Opportunities
Fresh out of training with little or no experience, you can qualify for entry-level supply chain positions like junior buyer or logistics clerk. Once you prove your skills, you can qualify for advancement into more senior positions, like supply chain manager. And that can happen fast.
William Rapisarda, inventory analyst for Cabela’s Canada, told us it took him just two years to earn his first big promotion.
“I started my supply chain career as a buyer for a textile company in Winnipeg. I dealt with international brokers, duties, taxes, customs documents, container sizes and lead times," he says.
"Soon, I was negotiating hundreds of thousands of dollars on a continual basis. In just two years, I was promoted to senior buyer. I managed vendors, negotiated contracts, and sourced new products from around the world. My portfolio was in the millions of dollars.”
William Rapisarda has over 25 years of experience in supply chain management. He is currently an inventory analyst with Cabela’s Canada and a supply chain management instructor at Herzing College.
Global Career Pathways and Flexibility
Because supply chains are the backbone of nearly every industry, professionals in this field are in demand worldwide. Whether you specialize in procurement, logistics, inventory management, or operations, your skills are highly transferable across borders and sectors.
This field also offers lateral flexibility. You can shift between roles, such as moving from logistics to demand planning. Or you can transition into adjacent areas like sustainability or data analytics.
This adaptability makes supply chain management not only a stable career, but also a dynamic one. You can grow, specialize, or pivot as your interests evolve.
THE CHALLENGES OF SUPPLY CHAIN CAREERS
Before leaping into this field, you should also be aware of challenges like:
Global Disruptions
Supply chain professionals operate in a highly interconnected global environment. So when things like pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, natural disasters, or trade wars hit, they can have a severe impact. For example, trade restrictions or port closures can delay shipments, increase costs, and force last-minute changes in sourcing or logistics.
These disruptions often require immediate, complex responses. While this makes local and global supply chain roles more critical, it also creates unpredictability and pressure. Professionals in this field need to be ready to manage constant change.
Stressful Environments and Tight Deadlines
Supply chain professionals work at a fast pace and under high pressure. They are responsible for ensuring that goods and services move efficiently from suppliers to customers, often across multiple time zones and under tight deadlines. A single delay, like a customs holdup, can really wreak havoc.
This urgency creates a work environment where quick decision-making, constant communication, and real-time problem-solving are the norm. During peak seasons, such as holidays or product launches, the workload can intensify significantly.
Some supply chain managers and professionals report long hours and difficulty disconnecting from work, especially when managing global operations. While some thrive in this dynamic setting, others may find the stress and pace overwhelming.
Complex Regulations and Compliance
Supply chain professionals must navigate a maze of regulations that vary by country, industry, and product type. These include customs laws, trade agreements, environmental standards, and labour laws.
The regulatory landscape is also constantly evolving. New sustainability rules, data privacy laws, or geopolitical sanctions can emerge with little notice. That means supply chain operations have to keep up, and professionals must stay informed and often collaborate closely with legal and compliance teams.
The learning curve can be steep, and even experienced pros must continuously update their knowledge. This adds a layer of pressure and responsibility that not everyone is prepared for.
HOW TO KNOW IF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT IS THE RIGHT FIT
Start by asking yourself a few questions:
- Are you comfortable with fast-paced, detail-oriented work?
- Do you enjoy solving complex problems under pressure?
- Are you adaptable to change and able to juggle multiple priorities?
- Do you thrive in dynamic environments and value career flexibility?
For an insider’s view, we asked procurement specialist Stefano Petriello what it takes to build a successful supply chain management career.
"I started small, doing simple tasks, and slowly worked my way up learning the ropes directly from experienced professionals in the supply chain business. I’ve been successful because I have proven my abilities in several key skill areas: project management, meeting strict deadlines, teamwork, and building a strong network of contacts," he says.
"You need to be detail-oriented, a quick problem solver, good with people, and a strong communicator to thrive in supply chain management.”
HOW TRAINING PROGRAMS CAN PREPARE YOU
There are many bachelor's and master's degrees in supply chain management, but a degree is not required to start a career in this field. You can break into the industry with a diploma in supply chain management.
Diploma programs teach the skills students need to qualify for junior roles in procurement, logistics, warehousing, and production.
Quality training will also include an internship, so students can connect with an employer and start building their resumes before graduation.
William Rapisarda teaches the supply chain management program at Herzing College. He says his primary goal is to prepare students to become "real supply chain professionals” who can hit the ground running from day one on the job.
“We learn about each stage in the supply chain process, and how to handle all kinds of challenges and scenarios. My goal is to teach students how to deal with a wide range of contingencies. Essentially, how to stay one step ahead. When you boil it down, this is what it takes to build a successful career in this field.”
At the college level, supply chain programs focus on the practical skills you need to get hired.
For example, students learn how to negotiate with suppliers, calculate transportation costs, select carriers, deal with customs documents, and assist with marketing and business planning.
You can complete your supply chain management training in under two years. Some colleges offer accelerated programs that run for just 12 months.
Explore Supply Chain Management training at Herzing College
Herzing College offers an accelerated 12-month supply chain management diploma. This course is delivered online and includes a six-week internship.
Herzing College is an official partner and affiliate of Supply Chain Canada (SCC). Our graduates earn a supply chain diploma from Herzing plus one from the SCC. This ensures their training is recognized and transferable across the country.
Click below to learn more about the program and chat live with an admissions advisor. We’re here to help!
