Education · 1 of 4

The path

There are two honest routes in: from the warehouse floor, or through a degree.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Math and computer classes. Get genuinely good at spreadsheets, which is not a joke in this field.

2. 2

   Pick your entry

   Right after school

   Either take a warehouse, dispatch or customer service job now and learn the operation from inside, or go to college for a supply chain or business degree first.

3. 3

   Get the degree if you are going that way

   2 to 4 years

   A two-year associate degree in logistics or a four-year bachelor's in supply chain management. Internships during it matter more than your grades.

4. 4

   First coordinator role

   1 to 3 years

   Scheduling trucks, booking freight, chasing shipments, entering orders. Learn one operation properly before you try to run one.

5. 5

   Certify and move up

   3 to 8 years in

   Add a supply chain credential, take on a bigger site, then a manager title.