What is Supply Chain Management? Hottest Degree 2024 (Part 1/3), $100K+ by age 30: simecurkovic.com

Supply Chain 101: Professor Curkovic's Podcasts (simecurkovic.com) - make over $70K upon graduation and over $100K by age 30...and change the world!
14 Dec 201519:34
EducationalLearning
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TLDRIn this engaging lecture, Professor Sime introduces himself and delves into the importance of major selection, emphasizing the value of niche specialization in fields like supply chain management. He discusses the booming job market for specialized majors, providing insights into high starting salaries and job placement rates. Sime also shares practical advice for students on achieving success in college and beyond, including the significance of grades, work experience, and building relationships with professors.

Takeaways
  • 🌞 The speaker humorously acknowledges the beautiful weather and the temptation to skip class, reflecting on an unwritten rule from his college days.
  • πŸ‘¨β€πŸ« The speaker introduces himself as Sime, a professor with a unique Croatian name, and prefers not to be addressed with formal titles like 'sir' or 'doctor'.
  • πŸŽ“ Sime emphasizes the importance of choosing a major wisely, suggesting that supply chain management is a field with high demand and good job prospects.
  • πŸ’Ό He discusses the importance of work experience, suggesting that internships and related work experience are crucial for job readiness and can lead to multiple job offers post-graduation.
  • πŸ’° Sime highlights the economic benefits of a supply chain management degree, noting that starting salaries are high and job placement rates are excellent.
  • 🏫 He advises students to take their grades seriously, as a minimum GPA of 3.0 is often a requirement for job consideration, especially in competitive industries.
  • 🀝 The speaker encourages students to build relationships with their professors, as these connections can be beneficial during job interviews and career advancement.
  • 🚫 Sime warns about the importance of being able to pass a drug test, as this is increasingly a requirement for internships and full-time positions.
  • πŸ“ˆ He discusses the demographic shifts in the workforce, suggesting that younger graduates have a unique opportunity for rapid advancement as the baby boomer generation retires.
  • πŸš— Sime uses the automotive industry as an example to illustrate the economic impact of industry fluctuations and the importance of supply chain management in such competitive markets.
  • πŸ’Ό The speaker concludes by emphasizing the role of supply chain management in increasing profitability, particularly in saturated markets where increasing sales is challenging.
Q & A
  • Why did the professor mention the weather condition being 70 and sunny?

    -The professor mentioned the weather to highlight an unwritten rule from his college days that if it was 70 and sunny, students would skip class. He used this to emphasize the dedication of the students who chose to attend despite the nice weather.

  • What is the professor's stance on being called 'doctor'?

    -The professor prefers not to be called 'doctor' because he feels it makes him seem older. He also jokes that he doesn't want to be associated with the term due to his lack of knowledge in CPR, which is often associated with the term 'doctor'.

  • What is the professor's name and background?

    -The professor's name is Sime, a unique Croatian name. His parents were born and raised in Croatia, and he does not like being called by formal titles due to his dislike of feeling old.

  • What is the main subject the professor is teaching in the script?

    -The professor is teaching a course on supply chain management, which is part of the Integrated Supply Management or ISM program.

  • What is the professor's goal regarding the students' perception of supply chain management?

    -The professor aims to make supply chain management seem interesting and exciting to the students, with the hope of possibly influencing them to consider it as a major or career path.

  • What advice does the professor give about job placement and starting salaries for supply chain management graduates?

    -The professor advises that job placement and starting salaries in supply chain management are excellent, with many students receiving multiple job offers and average starting salaries in the mid-50s, with some companies offering over 60k a year.

  • What is the professor's opinion on the importance of having a specialized major?

    -The professor believes that having a specialized major is important because it increases job opportunities and starting salaries. He suggests that niche and specialized areas are where the jobs are, as companies look for specific skill sets.

  • What does the professor suggest about the importance of internships?

    -The professor suggests that internships are crucial as they provide work experience related to the student's major, making them job-ready from day one and increasing their chances of getting hired.

  • Why is the professor concerned about students passing a drug test?

    -The professor is concerned because many companies require drug tests for internships and full-time jobs. He advises students to make decisions that will ensure they can pass such tests when they seek work experiences.

  • What demographic trend does the professor highlight as beneficial for recent graduates?

    -The professor highlights that the large number of baby boomers in the workforce who are nearing retirement age, creating opportunities for recent graduates to advance and get promoted more quickly than previous generations.

  • What is the main challenge for companies selling products in saturated and competitive markets, according to the professor?

    -The main challenge is making more money without being able to significantly increase sales due to market saturation. The professor suggests that companies in such situations need to focus on cutting costs to improve their profit margins.

Outlines
00:00
🌞 Sunny Day Lecture Introduction

The speaker, Sime, starts by acknowledging the perfect weather outside and the unwritten college rule to skip class on such days. He expresses appreciation for the students' attendance and introduces himself, sharing his background and preferences for being addressed. Sime humorously declines titles like 'sir', 'professor', and 'doctor', explaining his aversion to feeling old. He then outlines the course, Marketing 2500, and his intention to make supply chain management exciting, aiming to possibly influence students to consider it as a major. He mentions the high job placement rates and starting salaries in the field, emphasizing the importance of making informed decisions about one's major to ensure a successful career after graduation.

05:00
πŸ“ˆ The Importance of Major Selection and Work Experience

Sime discusses the significance of choosing a major where demand exceeds supply, highlighting the current high demand for supply chain management professionals. He emphasizes the importance of grades, with a 3.0 GPA often being a minimum requirement for job consideration. Work experience is also stressed as crucial, with internships not only providing valuable experience but also often paying well. Sime advises students to get to know their professors, as personal connections can be beneficial during job searches. He also touches on the importance of being able to pass a drug test, as this has become a common requirement for employment.

10:04
🏭 The Automotive Industry and Economic Outlook

The speaker provides an overview of the automotive industry's impact on Michigan's economy, particularly noting the challenges faced during the Great Recession due to a decline in car and truck sales. He points out that the current economic situation is more positive, with low unemployment rates and a strong demand for new graduates in the workforce. Sime predicts that due to the large number of baby boomers retiring, there will be ample opportunities for rapid career advancement for recent graduates. He also discusses the importance of the automotive industry in Michigan and its current health, suggesting that companies like General Motors are well-prepared for future economic downturns.

15:05
πŸ’° Strategies for Profitability in Competitive Markets

Sime explores the challenges faced by companies operating in highly competitive and saturated markets, where profit margins are thin. He uses the example of selling a product for a dollar and having only a small profit left after covering costs. The speaker suggests that increasing sales is not always a viable strategy for boosting profits in such markets and instead focuses on the importance of cost reduction. He points out that large corporations like General Motors, despite having small profit margins, can still generate significant profits due to their high volume of sales. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the need for companies to find ways to cut costs and operate more efficiently to increase profitability.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the coordination and management of various activities involved in the production and delivery of a product or service. It encompasses sourcing, procurement, conversion, logistics, and all the processes up to the final point that satisfies the consumer. In the video's context, SCM is presented as an exciting and important field of study, with high job placement rates and starting salaries. The speaker aims to 'brainwash' students into considering SCM as a major, highlighting its relevance and potential for career growth.
πŸ’‘Job Placement
Job placement refers to the process of securing employment for individuals, often through a school or university's career services. In the script, job placement is emphasized as an indicator of a successful field of study, with the speaker mentioning that graduates in supply chain management have high job placement rates and multiple job offers, suggesting the demand for such professionals is high.
πŸ’‘Starting Salaries
Starting salaries are the initial wages offered to new employees, often reflective of the job market's demand for certain skills or qualifications. The video script discusses the high starting salaries in supply chain management, indicating that this field is not only in demand but also financially rewarding for new graduates.
πŸ’‘Economic Conditions
Economic conditions refer to the state of the economy, including factors like employment rates, inflation, and market demand. The speaker in the video uses economic conditions to explain why certain majors have higher demand and better job prospects, emphasizing that when demand exceeds supply in a field, it can lead to better job opportunities and salaries for graduates.
πŸ’‘Niche Specialization
Niche specialization refers to focusing on a specific, specialized area within a broader field. The script suggests that being niche and specialized can lead to more job opportunities, as companies are looking for individuals with specific skill sets. The speaker argues that generalist roles are less in demand compared to specialized ones, which can command higher salaries and have more job offers.
πŸ’‘Strategic Skillsets
Strategic skillsets are a set of specialized abilities that are valuable for planning and executing strategies within a company. In the context of the video, the speaker mentions that employers are looking for graduates with strategic skillsets within their specialized areas, which can make them more competitive in the job market.
πŸ’‘Internships
Internships are temporary positions that provide work experience in a particular field. The script highlights the importance of internships in gaining relevant work experience, with the speaker noting that most students in the supply chain management program have multiple internship experiences, which are paid and can lead to job offers post-graduation.
πŸ’‘GPA
GPA, or Grade Point Average, is a numerical measure of a student's academic performance. The video emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high GPA, as companies often use a 3.0 or above as a cutoff for considering job applicants, indicating that academic performance is a critical factor in employability.
πŸ’‘Work Experience
Work experience refers to the practical knowledge and skills acquired through employment or internships. The speaker in the video stresses the importance of gaining work experience related to one's major, as it makes graduates 'job-ready' and increases their chances of securing employment after graduation.
πŸ’‘Drug Test
A drug test is a procedure used to detect the presence of drugs in a person's system. The script mentions that many companies require drug tests for internships and full-time positions, emphasizing the importance of making decisions that will allow students to pass such tests, as part of being 'job-ready'.
πŸ’‘Promotion
Promotion refers to the advancement in job rank or position. The video discusses the opportunities for rapid promotion due to demographic shifts in the workforce, suggesting that the upcoming generation of graduates may have a chance to advance more quickly than previous generations due to the retirement of baby boomers.
πŸ’‘Margins
Margins in a business context refer to the difference between the cost of producing a product and the price at which it is sold, indicating profitability. The speaker uses the term to illustrate the thin profit margins in highly competitive industries, and the need for companies to focus on cost reduction to increase profitability.
Highlights

Instructor Sime emphasizes the importance of attending class even on a beautiful day, reflecting his dedication to teaching.

Sime introduces himself and shares his cultural background, making the class feel more personal and inclusive.

He discourages the use of formal titles, preferring to be called by his first name to foster a more relaxed classroom environment.

Sime humorously discusses his reluctance to be called 'doctor' due to his aversion to feeling old, adding a light-hearted tone to the lecture.

The instructor outlines the goals of the Marketing 2500 course, aiming to make supply chain management exciting and potentially influencing students' career choices.

Sime provides an overview of the positive job placement and high starting salaries in supply chain management, motivating students about their future prospects.

He discusses the importance of choosing a major where demand exceeds supply to secure a good job after graduation.

Sime emphasizes the value of niche and specialized majors, suggesting they lead to better job opportunities and higher salaries.

The instructor shares his insights on the importance of internships, noting that they often lead to job offers and provide valuable experience.

Sime advises students to take their grades seriously, as a minimum 3.0 GPA is often a requirement for job consideration.

He stresses the significance of building relationships with professors, as their recommendations can significantly impact job prospects.

Sime discusses the importance of being drug-test ready, as many companies now require them for internships and jobs.

The instructor provides a demographic perspective, explaining how the aging workforce may lead to faster career advancement for recent graduates.

Sime highlights the economic recovery of Michigan and its automotive industry, offering a positive outlook for students considering careers in the state.

He discusses strategies for companies in saturated markets to increase profits, such as improving efficiency and reducing costs.

The lecture concludes with a thought-provoking question about how companies can make more money without increasing sales, encouraging students to think critically about business strategies.

Transcripts
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