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We had the privilege of hosting an insightful career panel featuring four distinguished professionals in the supply chain and business analytics industry: Jessy Lene, Benedict Toh, Alvin Li, and Francesca Ong. Each of them shared their career journeys, industry perspectives, and essential skills required to thrive in this dynamic field.
Jessy Lene: "Supply Chain Management is About Strategy and Continuous Improvement"
Jessy, currently working in business process quality and improvement in a regional role at Kuehne+Nagel, shared how her career has evolved within the supply chain sector. She emphasised the importance of managing operations from suppliers to customers, highlighting a project she worked on that was successfully automated and brought significant revenue to her company. In her current role, she focuses on strategy and improvement across APAC, ensuring that supply chain processes are optimised for efficiency and effectiveness. She advised students to plan their coursework strategically, ensuring they do not overload themselves in one semester and to map out their OSCM modules in advance. Additionally, she emphasised staying informed about industry trends, networking, and developing strong skills in Microsoft Excel to enhance job readiness.
Benedict Toh: "Analytical Thinking and Practical Skills Set You Apart"
Benedict, who enjoys analytical thinking, chose to pursue a career in supply chain management for practical reasons, emphasising the industry’s exposure to valuable skills and strong financial opportunities. He highlighted the importance of communication and soft skills in the field, particularly for those participating in graduate trainee programs that involve rotating through different business units over two years. His advice to students was to focus on truly understanding and appreciating the concepts taught in their modules rather than just memorising content. He stressed that consistent effort adds up over time and that academic results, while important, are secondary to practical experience. He encouraged students not to shy away from seemingly mundane tasks, as they provide visibility with senior management. Ultimately, he reminded students that being good at their job is not enough; they must also ensure that others recognise their capabilities.
Alvin Li: "Business Analytics is a Key Skill in Supply Chain"
Alvin explained that business analytics often involves extensive data cleaning, which, while tedious, has made him more comfortable using various tools, including Excel, programming, and problem-solving frameworks. His background in finance proved useful during his internship, as cost-conscious companies highly value strong business analytics skills. Alvin highlighted the differences between pursuing business analytics in the School of Computing versus in a business program, explaining that computing students tend to take on more technical roles, while business students often focus on management and strategic decision-making. He emphasised the importance of internships, networking, and differentiating oneself through language skills, technical expertise, and industry knowledge to stand out in a competitive job market.
Francesca Ong: "Keep an Open Mind and Take the Leap"
Francesca found her passion for operations and supply chain management during her second year and has since gained hands-on experience across multiple industries. She spent a semester working at Love, Bonito, where she learned about the process of opening new retail outlets and led an internal project that taught her valuable people management skills. She also contributed to a new third-party logistics integration project, which was crucial in resolving operational challenges during peak seasons. Her internship at Industrial Scientific
Corporation allowed her to explore the oil and gas industry, gaining experience in sales and business analytics tools. Additionally, her time at L'Oréal provided exposure to periodic reporting, helping her understand the intricacies of the beauty industry while learning to navigate a large corporate structure. Francesca advised students to approach their careers with an open mind, set small, achievable goals, and not be afraid to ask questions. She encouraged them to take the leap and embrace opportunities that push them out of their comfort zones.
Essential Takeaways on the Supply Chain Industry
Competitiveness and Work-Life Balance in Supply Chain
The panelists shared insights into the competitiveness of the supply chain industry, noting that job prospects and compensation structures vary by company. Salary structures, including base pay and bonuses, differ significantly across organizations, with German Multinational Corporations (MNCs) often offering strong work-life balance. The speakers reassured students that while supply chain management is a demanding field, it offers rewarding career paths with opportunities for growth and specialisation.
Technical Skills and Industry Readiness
The panelists discussed the technical skills required in supply chain management. They agreed that beyond basic business analytics and Excel proficiency, additional programming languages are not necessarily required for most roles. However, familiarity with data visualisation and analytical tools can be an asset. They recommended taking foundational coding and business analytics modules, such as CS1010 and BT1101, to build relevant technical skills.
The Overlap Between Business Analytics and Supply Chain
The discussion highlighted the intersection of business analytics and supply chain management. While both fields involve data-driven decision-making, supply chain management requires a deep understanding of industry-specific challenges and nuances. Business analytics provides valuable tools for optimising supply chain operations, making data interpretation and process improvement more efficient.
Q&A Segment with the Audience
During the interactive Q&A session, the panelists addressed various concerns from students. Jessy described a typical day in supply chain roles at MNCs, emphasising frequent meetings, data visualization, and strategic planning. Benedict shared that his work is meaningful and offers a good work-life balance, with rare instances of overtime. When asked how students with limited experience can secure internships, the panelists advised being well-informed about the products and services of companies they are interested in, demonstrating passion for the industry, and leveraging LinkedIn to connect with professionals. They also suggested exploring both full-time and part-time internships, considering opportunities at smaller companies for more hands-on experience, and tapping into personal networks for job referrals.
Final Advice for Aspiring Supply Chain Professionals
As the panel concluded, each speaker left students with key pieces of advice. Jessy encouraged students to take a strategic approach to their coursework, network actively, and build strong technical skills. Benedict emphasised the importance of making consistent efforts, communicating effectively, and taking ownership of tasks that offer visibility to higher management. Alvin advised students to differentiate themselves by gaining technical expertise, understanding industry trends, and developing a strong foundation in business analytics. Francesca inspired students to be open-minded, take on new challenges, and not hesitate to ask questions. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our panelists for sharing their expertise and invaluable insights.
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Written by:
Aina
Strategic Content
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