Clayton State University has upgraded its supply chain management program, allowing students to major in the field.
Previously, it was offered only as a minor. Supply chain management is the science of getting goods to market, which involves virtually every facet of many companies.
"There's no discipline in the corporate world that doesn't touch or interface with the supply chain process," John Mascaritolo, director of logistics practices at Clayton State, told GlobalAtlanta.
He was hired by the university in 2007 when there were only two classes in supply chain management and it was not even offered as a minor. Within a year, he upgraded it to a minor and now a major.
"Georgia recognizes that supply chain is an economic initiative," said Mr. Mascaritolo. "The Board of Regents recognizes the same value and it went through rather quickly."
Three faculty members will teach six courses in supply chain management.
"We graduate our first 15 majors in December," he said. "They will actually have a B.A. in supply chain management."
Clayton State students have obtained internships and later full-time jobs at companies such as Home Depot Inc. and Fedex Corp. and at trucking companies, freight forwarders and warehouses, said Mr. Mascaritolo.
One advantage of supply chain management is that students have an opportunity to learn a business from the bottom up.
"A warehouse company would place our students in at the warehouse level, where they will operate a forklift and pick orders and learn the warehous systems and then bring them inside the office," said Mr. Mascaritolo. "From working at the warehouse level, they learn the business from the bottom up."
Clayton State is located in Morrow, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta. For more information, click here .