Alpana started her career in Air India as Traffic Assistant, where she worked in the Traffic and Cargo departments. She then moved to the Airports Authority of India as Airport Officer -Cargo. She was part of the first batch of officers to be sent to Germany to be trained by the FAG-under whose consultancy the new Cargo Terminal was being set up. Post a stint in AAI, Alpana moved to the Bird Group (A leading travel conglomerate). She was actively involved in setting up the Bird Academy, a vocational training institute readying students for the travel and aviation industry.
Logistics has emerged as the leading contributor in boosting the economy and employment generation due to the recent digital transformation. As per a report by Arthur D. Little in collaboration with CII, logistics in India is estimated to contribute over 14 percent of the nation’s GDP, which is around $400 billion. It is massive as compared to the global average of 8 percent. Interestingly, the growth has spurred enormously post-pandemic due to the digitalization of processes from end-to-end, including warehousing, supply chain management and delivery. Last year, logistics was among the top five employment generating sectors as per National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Considering the above facts, logistics has become an attractive career path due to the boom in the industry and the plethora of opportunities for skilled talent.
As per World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, there is a considerable skill gap in the logistic and supply chain sector for managing inventory, automating warehouses, keeping track of accounts, handling customs, and regulatory compliance. Logistics is no longer a ‘low-skilled’ industry and offers rapid opportunities for professionals and highly skilled people to drive the next phase of growth in logistics using artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Role of women in Logistics has also evolved and more and more women are becoming part of the industry and taking on leadership roles. With technology and automation playing an important role, there will be an increase in opportunities for women in the industry, which has been perceived mainly as being male bastion.
Career opportunities in logistics
AI professionals- Enabling AI in logistics saves time and cost while optimizing resources across the supply chain. In the logistics sector, they are in high demand to herald automated systems and novel algorithmic solutions for guiding dynamic processes.
Warehouse managers- The need for the warehouses in multiple cities due to the surge in online purchasing and same-day delivery has increased the demand for warehouse managers to update the digital warehouse management system.
Data analysts- Big data and predictive analysis have presented a massive opportunity in logistics to help service providers predict order volume and analyze the behavioral pattern of customers. Predictive analysts help achieve route optimization and streamline the process across the supply chain.
Delivery agents- Due to the boom in e-commerce sales and door-to-door delivery in food, medicine, and other consumer goods, delivery agents are in high demand across the urban landscape.
Documentation Specialist: A document specialist is responsible for maintaining logistics documents, storing, cataloging, and retrieving documents. They are in high demand for efficient recordkeeping and logistics operations.
Overseas Coordination Agents: To facilitate the international coordination and harmonization of industrial standards and promote the international exchange of goods and services, Overseas Coordination agents are in high demand in the logistics industry and hold great importance for maintaining an efficient supply chain globally.
Inventory Management: Inventory management is one of the most fundamental and highly valued roles in the supply chain. The inventory management role offers immense career opportunities to maintain the balance between demand and supply and manage the forward and reverse flow in the supply chain.
& many others.
Skills required for a successful career in logistics
Decision-making and problem-solving- Logistics changes in a blink with technological advances; thus, you need to think on your feet and make decisions for better operational efficiency.
Hard and soft skills- Hard skills such as technical proficiency, Documents execution and processing, roles played by various stakeholders, and understanding the 3 flows: Flow of Information, Flow of Finance, Product flow.
Analytical skills are critical for people in a managerial role. Soft skills like Customer Service, teamwork, leadership skills, and communication skills are a few valuable weapons in your arsenal.
Technical skills- Specialized knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning are in high demand considering the trend of automation in logistics.
Benefits of opting logistics as your career option
Logistics offer recession-proof career opportunities for those who like to constantly up-skill themselves. It provides great opportunities for travel, advancement, fast sector growth, attractive pay, networking, the flexibility of time and geographies.
Conclusion
With the rapid increase in globalization and growth in e-commerce, the government has made considerable changes in the regulatory policies and initiatives. Government programs like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Sagarmala,’ the logistics sector is expected to touch the sky of growth as it has become an essential piece of every business sector around the globe. It therefore, offers great career opportunities for those who would choose to shape the global market.