Supply Chain Students Interact with Industry Experts at Seminar

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The Supply Chain Student Association (SCSA) hosted a seminar to inform students about how the theory they learn in class is practically applied in the supply chain industry.

SCSA was founded by Supply Chain Management postgraduate students after they realised final year and postgraduate students are uninformed about what is expected of them in the workplace.

SCSA’s Public Relations Officer, Ms Zinizi Diko, said initiatives such as the seminar and site visits helped them to bridge the gap between academia and the industry.

‘These forums allow us to keep abreast of developments in our field which ensures that when we as students join the industry we know about what is happening and how we fit in,’ she said.

Representatives from Spur, Pepkor Logistics and eThekwini Municipality addressed students on the supply chain process involved in their businesses, challenges and the different roles students could explore when they entered the workplace.

Mr Khulekani Mkhize of Pepkor Logistics which operates more than 4 000 retail outlets in Africa, highlighted quality customer service, transportation and logistics challenges involved in catering to the supply chain demands of giant clothing retailer, Pep.

Mr Jan Paul Petrus of Spur spoke about the Spur family group’s pricing strategies especially with the effects of the drought and how the company implements environmental sustainability principles in its supply chain processes.

Mr Ashwin Maharaj and Mr Trevor Samuels of eThekwini Municipality spoke on how the municipality prioritises quality and how its supply chain process have evolved over time.

Masters in Commerce in Local Economic Development graduate and PhD student, Mr Andile Biyela, gave a postgraduate student perspective of the supply chain from a local economic development perspective.

Discipline of Marketing and Supply Chain academic, Ms Nomalizo Dyili, said forums such as the seminar were crucial in providing solutions for the challenges of African supply chain problems.

‘When SCSA was launched a few years ago, students approached us with ideas and opinions of what they wanted to do and it was good to see their ambition and willingness,’ said Dyili. ‘This forum is created by the students for the students to be a think tank for them to engage with the industry and use the knowledge they have to decide what they want to do to shape the future of this country through the supply chain.’

Thandiwe Jumo