Cultivating the Logistic and Supply Chain Leader’s Skills: Why it is Crucial
Mr Raymond Loh, Principal Lecturer and Mr Winston Pang, Senior Lecturer at TMC Academy School of Business and Law, discuss about Singapore’s position in the logistics and supply chain industry and reaffirms the continuous growth and prospects this industry can offer.
Background
Singapore is well-placed to be the regions’ key logistic and supply chain hub and it is not a surprise that the World Bank in 2014 ranked Singapore as the No. 1 Logistic Hub in Asia according to EDP Report Singapore.
Blessed with its strategic location in the heart of Southeast Asia and also at the crossroad of major shipping lanes, Singapore makes itself an important logistics hub and highway for world trade. Singapore’s airport and seaport has been the main conduit that connects with many countries in the world. One of Asia’s largest cargo airports, Singapore Changi Airport, is served by over 6,500 weekly flights connecting to 280 cities in 60 countries, and handling close to 2 million tons of cargo annually. In addition, Singapore also boasts the world’s busiest transshipment hub, handling about one-seventh of the world’s container transshipment in 2013. Its ports are connected to 200 shipping lines and 600 ports in 123 countries. Aside from infrastructures, Singapore is also well-known for its highly efficient customs and business-friendly import/ export procedure and “Trade Net”, which is an electronic online system that provides one-stop platform that simplify and generate efficiencies in clearance of documentation and permits. It is no surprise that 20 of the top 25 global logistics players conduct operations with the nation. Furthermore, Singapore is the preferred logistics and supply chain management hub for leading manufacturers across industries.
Prospects in Logistic and Supply Chain Management
These achievements however cannot be attained unless there is a pool of talented and dedicated individuals who made this possible. Singapore offers a base of home-grown talent, including more than 8,500 graduates in various Science, Engineering and Supply Chain Management courses. The future is in logistic and supply chain sector where there is a long-term shift in trade and investment from the West to the East. This will imply that there will be even more opportunities for growth in the region which inevitably will benefit the logistic and supply chain field.
Role of TMC Academy as an Educator
To leverage upon this opportunity, TMC Academy offers the Higher Diploma in Business (Logistic specialisation) for students who wish to pursue a career in Logistics and Supply Chain. It will also be launching the BA International Logistic and Trade Finance degree soon to be offered by the University of Northampton.
TMC graduates will be equipped with the necessary technology and management skills to become effective future logistics and supply chain managers. The course syllabus includes IT, Management and Business related studies, which aim at not only imparting knowledge in logistics from an international perspective, it also covers a broad spectrum knowledge that includes economic, political and financial risk factors that affects the world economy.
Students who embark on this study will thus benefit from the comprehensive curriculum coverage besides acquiring the necessary management related skills such as problem solving, decision making and project management.
