Despite the looming specter of final exams, Supply Chain and Logistics Technology students spent the evening of April 26 polishing their resumes under the tutelage of industry executives at an event hosted by UH's Supply Chain Industrial Distribution Organization (SIDO).
"Last week, SIDO worked in collaboration with the professional organization ISM [Institute for Supply Management] to conduct a resume review and feedback event," said SIDO president William Day. "We hosted 25 students and eight ISM professionals to assist those students in their professional development. We also provided free head shots to those who attended and gave students a chance to network and connect with these industry leaders."
"This was the first workshop of this kind that we've done in collaboration with ISM, and moving forward into next semester, we'd like to continue to work with them on the possibility of further professional development workshops," Day said.
Each student in attendance had the opportunity to spend 20 minutes of one-on-one time reviewing their resume with an ISM professional.
"Professor [Dan] Cassler and I also participated, and it was really impressive," said SCLT Undergraduate Program Director Margaret Kidd. "All of the students came dressed in business interview attire on a Friday evening, which really showed a commitment to excellence and upping their skillsets.”
"I think something else that was impressive about the event – outside of the incredible organization work done by SIDO – was that these eight executives from ISM Houston, a leading global supply chain professional organization, took their time to come to our campus on a Friday night,” Kidd added. “Not just one or two, but eight. That certainly says a lot about the importance of our supply chain program in the regional ecosystem and the commitment that we see by some of our industry stakeholders."
"Events like this align with one of our core values at SIDO," Day said. "We try our best to bridge the gap between the professional world and the student body, and we provide as many resources as possible to assist with that. The main resource that we want to provide to our students is professional development, and this was made evident by our resume workshop. Moving forward, we want to continue to offer additional similar opportunities; we plan to do more of these kinds of events and have SIDO give more value to our members and students."
One of SIDO's next goals is to offer another similar event featuring mock interviews to help students translate the successes presented on their resumes into actionable, hirable skills and interview prowess.
"We'd also like to help foster a sense of community within supply chain and logistics technology," Day added. "Too often, I see students come to school, come to class, and then leave immediately afterwards. That's something I don't love to see, and I'd like to change it. I'd like to have more social events, professional development events, and networking events to really draw the students together."
Kidd echoed Day's statements as she emphasized the importance that the SCLT program places on student involvement and development.
"It's not just about the classroom or the grades – it's about the whole package," she said.