increased immensely across all industries, creating new challenges. “Fostering a sense of belonging and contribution, and ensuring new hires are exposed to the culture early in the recruitment process helps to deter such withdrawals,” Nicholson says. The competitiveness of the labor market has prompted Arrive Logistics to strategically time its on-campus events. “Students nd us in the classroom earlier in the school year, meeting with student organizations and sharing unique event ideas, with our intention to meet them where they are,” Nicholson says. “This presence is in addition to our regular attendance at career fairs and other large-scale events later in the school year.” HIRING NEW GRADS Consulting rm Terillium formerly hired only experienced candidates. But 12 years ago, they shifted to hire new graduates that they could train, strengthening the company’s workforce in the process, according to David Woodworth, president of the company. Woodworth graduated from Miami University, and he is highly involved in on-campus activities at his alma mater’s Center for Supply Chain Excellence. He speaks in classes, staffs the booth at career fairs, conducts on-campus interviews and hosts a case competition. Terillium is a corporate partner of the center, and their access to students has paid off in the form of hires that have strengthened the company.
Connecting with high school students to educate them on the job opportunities around supply chain and logistics has proven to be a successful recruiting strategy for many companies.
hiring timelines and keep-warm strategies, among other things,” she says. In general, the recruiting landscape has evolved in recent years, particularly among graduating college students. “Students apply to more jobs sooner, consistently ranking pay and compensation as their top consideration factor, and valuing work-life balance more than students who have graduated before them,” Nicholson says. “Students also value a culture where diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is woven into every aspect of the job and the work environment. “Placing a greater emphasis on workers’ sense of inclusion is critical to not only attract new talent but also to retain that talent, even as early as the intern level,” she adds. Withdrawals from job offers have
The growing trend of higher education institutions featuring the supply chain more prominently in their curricula offers a clear bene t for the supply chain as a whole. “The supply chain has long suffered from talent shortages for entry positions because you need a balance there,” Higgins says. “You need the analytics and technical skills, and you need some supply chain expertise. It’s not the easiest thing to recruit. “The probability of having success with that talent base will increase if university systems and academia reinforces it,” he adds. It is important to express to students and others considering supply chain jobs that it’s not easy work but that it’s exciting and dynamic. “People want to see the world, they want to experience what it’s like out there, and they don’t want doldrum jobs where it’s a repeat day after day,” McCullough says. “That’s certainly not what you get in logistics.” A CHANGED LANDSCAPE As a sign of the steep competition for supply chain talent in the current climate, Nicholson notes that the class of 2023 applied to more jobs sooner than any other graduating class before them. “This challenges employers to rethink their value propositions to continue to be an employer of choice, and reevaluate
David Woodworth, president of Terillium ( far left ) and members of his team attend a career fair. Terillium has been particularly active in recruitment at Miami University’s Center for Supply Chain Studies.
138 Inbound Logistics • July 2023
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