Roadmap to a Fulfilling Logistics Career

I am a freshman college student studying logistics. Ever since I was a child, I have always been interested in gathering knowledge on how goods and services move from the producer to the manufacturer. My parents own a grocery shop in the local town center, and most of the time I help out as a delivery guy using my father's truck. There are a few problems I usually encounter especially getting the products to the customers on time when there are many deliveries to be made. As a result, I have developed more interest in studying logistics so that I can help my parents expand their business by reaching out more customers in other regions. Moreover, the career will be vital for me in starting and managing my own business. I am hopeful that within the next few years probably after I am done with the course, I will start up my private logistics company to help out small business owners like my parents who have not yet developed a comprehensive logistics plan.

To ensure that I become a successful logistics manager, I will be serious in my studies and ask for clarifications where necessary. I will also engage in classwork discussions to expand my knowledge base and also get to learn more from the different viewpoints of my classmates. Since the coursework will determine my final grade which employers will look at while offering me a job, I will ensure I do my assignments well and submit them on time. To obtain vast experience in the field, I will enroll in an internship program in one of the logistics company. I intend to attend the internship during the holidays at least and test my skills using my parent's business. I am hopeful that by the time I am done with the course, I will have a great experience that will encourage the employers to hire me. I will also attend a one to two years internship program after I am done with the course to test my skills and knowledge in the career.

As a logistics manager, my salary will be approximately $75000 with access to some employee benefits. I will be in charge of planning, coordinating and evaluating the different activities in the logistics operations. I will also be in charge of handling the inventory, scheduling deliveries, designing the production schedules and warehouse management. I will also be communicating with the clients on their warehouse specifications as well as plan on the cost of storage units and how many days' clients need to renew their subscription (Blanchard 69). To conduct my duties effectively, I will need to have excellent communication skills, knowledge in operating warehouse machinery and I license to show that I can run the different machinery in the warehouses.

I will also need to have excellent decision-making skills as well as problem-solving skills. I also need to be organized and logical to plan production and distribution schedules well (Schönsleben 127). Most of the employers will also be looking at my level of experience. Therefore, I need to have relevant experience in a busy logistics company. This will also call for proof of education experience. Therefore, I need a presentable certificate at the end of my course program.

After completing the course, I intend to live a simple life-limiting my expenses to only the essential things. To begin with, I will not move out from home first to cut on the rent expenses. I can start saving money while living with my parents and move out after I attain a good financial base. By living with my parents, it means that I will have less monthly expenses.

The estimated monthly expenses, however, include transportation $742 per month, healthcare $222 per month, entertainment $202 per month, pensions and social security $445 per month, personal care$424 per month. With this kind of budget, I will need an annual salary of $7500.Since I will be an entry-level employee, the national average wage listed in the OOH will cover my expenses. According to TRC, the annual salary for a logistics assistant in Houston is $27,949.This means that if I go to Houston, I will need to look for another part-time job to comfortably meet my expenses. I intend to look for a job in one of the movie theaters as an attendant or work as a waiter in one of the restaurants by taking the evening shift and working on weekends too.

According to the CNN Money Calculator, the annual salary I would need to live in Houston is $75,891 whereas, in Cleveland, I would need $67,890.In Austin, I would need an annual salary of $53225 while in Oakland, I would need 84,548.The differences in the cost of living in the four cities are due to the different development standards. In Oakland and Houston for instance, there are many businesses set up which means there are many sources of employment. In Austin and Cleveland, on the other hand, there are fewer businesses set up which limits the employment chances. However, the two areas have great potential for growth which means that I can start up my business there and watch it grow over time. Hence, I would like to live in either of the two cities. Moreover, the housing and transportation costs in Cleveland and Austin are low compared to the transportation and housing costs in Houston and Oakland. Since my career is dependent on location, I would prefer to start up in Houston and Oakland, and once I gather the ultimate knowledge and expertise, I can look for a strategic location to start up my company in Austin.

As for now, since I am still gathering the required knowledge and expertise in the career, I can help the community by volunteering in running delivery errands for different people including the local food store in our area. I can work with the different employees in the stores and encourage the managers to form partnerships where they can reduce delivery costs by combining the costs incurred in offering deliveries. I can also enroll for an internship in one of the logistics companies and help out in running errands relating to logistics. The placement will not only help me learn the transferable soft skills but also improve my personal relations skills while giving back to the community.

As stated earlier, my long-term career goal is to start up my own logistics company. To achieve this, I will need to work in a busy logistics company environment for at least two years, establish a reasonable savings plan, and further my studies to gain more knowledge in the career. In as much as this sounds easy, there are several obstacles I will have to encounter. One of the challenges is getting the funds to further my education. To beat this obstacle, I will have to study hard so that I can get a scholarship. The other major hurdle is attaining the savings discipline. To conquer this obstacle, I will open strict savings account in one of the local banks so that I do not get the temptation to use the money for other unnecessary reasons. From now henceforth, I will be a proactive student and grab any career advancement chance I get. I will have to forego many social activities and spend more time on my studies, but this will be great for my future. After I achieve my goal, I will have all the time and resources to help out my community members, and the feeling of accomplishing my goal will be great. I will be so happy to make my parents proud of me.

Works Cited

Blanchard, D. Supply chain management best practices. Wiley, 2013.Pp.65-72.

Schönsleben, P. Integral Logistics Management: Operations and Supply Chain Management Within and Across Companies, Fourth Edition. CRC Press, 2011. Pp.110-135.