Study-survey on supply chain professions

In view of the seminar on human capital organized by the chair on March, 17, 2022, the junior company of the school of Ponts ParisTech, PEP (Ponts Studies Projects) has realized an ad-hod study in the form of a survey to underline perceptions and expectations of students on supply chain professions, with the experiences of professionals. This mirror-study made it possible to survey a total of 200 students (especially students of Ponts in 2nd and 3rd year or in gap year, from the various specialty departments of the school), as well as a total of more than 420 professionals of supply chain professions (mainly for the four partners companies of the chair, as well as alumni from the Ponts Industry Group and alumni from the specialized master’s degree Supply Chain Design & Management of Ponts/IML-International Institute of Management for Logistics).

Among the lessons of this mirror study :

• Perceptions of students who join the professionals on the role of the supply chain in ecological transition and sustainable development…
• …But with differences on the precise vision of supply chain’s jobs in terms of characteristics, skills and missions : students do not perceive as much the great diversity of supply chain professions as observed (and experienced) by professionals, nor the increased importance of innovation, customer service or data science within the scope of the supply chain.
• Students, especially those of the industrial engineering department, claim to pretty well know the challenges of industry 4.0 or those of the supply chain, claiming in particular to be informed principally through the school’s teaching, their training, internships and their research on the Internet.
• More than half of student respondents claim to be attracted by the supply chain professions, among industrial engineering students, it is more than 80% that confirm the attractiveness of these jobs.
• Among advantages associated with these jobs, students rather emphasize the intellectual stimulation, the contribution to ecological transition and the meaning of the profession (“a job that makes sense”), while professional respondents also favor the advantage linked to the diversity of mission which seems less associated with supply chain professions by the students.
• To finish, in terms of expectations of their work environment, the balance between professional life and personal life is more apparent among students respondents, while professional respondents insist more on teamwork, cross-functionality and diversity of functions and positions.

The presentation of the results of this mirror study as well as the exchanges that followed, reinforce the importance and the need to continue efforts to raise awareness and promote supply chain of the future professions with students regardless of their specialization, to support the evolution of professions to new skills around innovation, data science, sustainable development…

Download the study summary