Supply Chain Management

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Undergraduate Major

Faculty of Business and Law

Description

The supply chain management major focuses on the principles of managing a supply chain in enterprise (business or not for profit). Students gain an understanding of key factors affecting the operations in a supply chain and are eventually able to both analyse and design supply chain processes. At present, this area of study is in high demand by employers, as many industries require graduates with both specific supply chain management knowledge and the general transferable skills gained within the Bachelor of Business.

For more information about Supply Chain Management, visit the Newcastle Business School site.

View our Bachelor of Business in the Program Handbook and the online prospectus What Can I Study?.

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Further Study Options

Some occupations require a higher level of completed study than an undergraduate degree, and for this reason it is worthwhile considering the range of Honours, Research Higher Degrees (RHD), Postgraduate Coursework and additional study options available. These options may also be useful for specialising in a particular area, or to stimulate career change. Some of the future options following a major in Supply Chain Management include:

 

Honours:
Available as an additional year to students who have achieved a credit grade point average.

Postgraduate Study:

Research

Master by Research

PhD

As the global job sector can be competitive, it is of great advantage to have completed a postgraduate qualification, particularly independent research (such as Masters by research, or PhD). See more information on research higher degrees within the Newcastle Business School here.

Coursework
After completing a degree there are a broad range of postgraduate options available in a variety of fields which can allow you to specialise in a particular area of interest or build upon your existing knowledge base. To explore such options please visit the Postgraduate Handbook at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/program/postgraduate/

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Sample Jobs

The sample job titles listed include a range of opportunities for graduates at degree, honours, postgraduate study and experience levels.

Getting the Edge

Most employers seek to recruit people who have relevant work experience and an appreciation for their industry. Here is a check list of ideas about gaining experience and industry knowledge.

  1. Check the type of experience most employers in your field of interest expect. Don’t overlook the part time work you may be currently doing. Most employers understand that the skills are transferrable even if the work is not in their industry.
  2. Check your academic program for any courses that involve a placement or the opportunity to undertake an industry based project.
  3. Check your school for Summer Scholarships for research opportunities.
  4. Check vacancy sites for advertised traineeships, part time employment and vacation work opportunities in your field.
  5. Source and approach organisations directly about possible work shadowing or information interview opportunities.
  6. Source and approach organisations directly for paid work opportunities.
  7. Consider volunteering.

Note: Gaining experience may be important but not at the expense of your studies. Make sure you do not overload your timetable with unrealistic work commitments.

 

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Sample Employers

Supply Chain Management employment opportunities exist in a wide variety of industries within small, medium and large organisations. Below are examples of some major organisations which formally target graduates with business qualifications, particularly with a major in supply chain management.

Check employers’ websites for a section called Employment, Careers, Graduate Programs or similar titles. Some of these employers may offer vacation work opportunities.

 

Recruitment Timing

Some large organisations have specific graduate recruitment programs designed to employ the pick of graduates each year. You must be in your final year of study or recently completed to apply for these programs. The timing of these recruitment drives varies and may occur at any point in the academic year, in some cases starting as early as the first few weeks of the first semester or trimester.

Find out if employers in your area/s of interest have graduate programs, when they typically recruit and what recruitment methods they use. Check with the Careers Service .

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Societies and Associations

Associations and societies often provide relevant and up to date information about a variety of issues relating to specific industry sectors. These can be a good starting point to learn more about occupations through profiles, industry news, links to academic journals and information on research developments. Many also offer student membership, conference and professional development activities, newsletters and the opportunity to participate in projects.


Don’t overlook student societies and associations. As well as student chapters of professional associations, some faculties or schools have discipline based student associations. Check your school or faculty web site; perhaps you might start one if one doesn’t exist.

Some academic disciplines run Seminar Programs that involve regular seminars presented by University of Newcastle academics, visiting academics and postgraduate students. Check your schools website for the timetable.

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Job Search Sites

Searching job sites is a good way to gain an understanding of: industries recruiting professionals in this field; types of roles and the requirements or expectations of employers for these roles. There are many online job search sites, here are a few to start with:

Australian and International

  • CareerHub: the University of Newcastle Careers Service careers and job search site for enrolled students and graduates.

Australian

  • CareerOne: Australia wide job listings, all levels and industries including executive positions
  • MyCareer: Australian and international listings
  • Seek: comprehensive Australian job listings, also includes New Zealand and UK listings
  • The Big Chair: Management and Executive Jobs

International

Graduate Attributes and Employability

 

Graduate attributes for the Bachelor of Business are the skills, abilities and knowledge that are highly sought after by a broad range of employers. Below is the complete list of attributes that graduates will have demonstrated upon the completion of the degree.

Graduate Attributes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Business will:

  1. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
  2. Work effectively independently and in teams.
  3. Engage in critical thinking and analytical problem-solving.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of theory, models and concepts relevant to Marketing, Management, International Business, Human Resource Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and Tourism.
  5. Display proficiency in the utilization of information and technology in business.
  6. Apply business skills that incorporate understanding of global and ethical issues.

You will recognise these attributes in the selection criteria listed in the following job ads.

Sample Job Ads & Tips

Job ads provide useful information about the job and the required skills, experience and qualifications. Information like this is useful in career planning. Below is a small sample of job ads with tips on planning and job applications; explore further to gather more useful information for your planning.

 

Please note: the job ads listed on this page are not current and were sourced from a variety of websites in 2010.

 

Sample Job Ad 1
Sample Job Ad 2
Sample Job Ad 3
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