MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Product shortages and delivery delays are a constant issue during the pandemic.
As we continue seeing supply chain issues, Middle Tennessee State University has now changed its supply chain management program from a concentration to a degree.
The university hopes to fill the growing workforce need with their new bachelor's degree. The Jennings A. Jones College of Business pursued and received approval in the spring to transform its supply chain management concentration within its Department of Management into a standalone major.
It started out as a concentration four years ago.
"Everything you wear, eat, play with or drive it all comes from supply chain and that's not going away," management professor Kimball Bullington said. "When we started out four years ago they had 14 students in the concentration, now we have 119."
Middle Tennessee has become quite the logistics hub. Bullington says that's one of the benefits of studying this field at MTSU. Making up 37% of all jobs in the region, supply chain management is one of the fastest-growing industries.
"In this area, we have advanced manufacturing, distribution centers like Amazon and Dollar General, transportation, and sort of hidden behind that is purchasing," said Bullington. "We have opportunities for students and a variety of different industries and if they want to stay here, they will have jobs, if they chose to go almost anywhere in the world they'll have jobs so it's a very job-driven program and we design courses with specific jobs in mind."
Bullington says they're excited to see the program grow.
Supply chain management is also a concentration in the university's master's program. They plan to convert that to a full master's degree in the near future.
