Intern Corner: Engineering a Career in Supply Chain Management

At the end of my first week at Source One, I was lucky enough to join the Chicago team in celebrating their 2016 Q4 success.  As I became acquainted with the Chicago team in a fun and exciting environment, I was amazed when I learned that the company has surpassed its performance projections in each of the last two years. Since then, I have had an outstanding opportunity to contribute to projects across all of Source One’s verticals.  

From auditing, to spend analysis, to market research, I’ve had the pleasure assisting Source One’s consultants, project analysts, and directors at both company locations.  Most notably, I was given the responsibility to streamline a RFP process for a chief client.  This month long project involved RFP analysis, price negotiation, qualitative evaluation, and a unique experience in building relationships with suppliers.   This assignment was a great learning experience into one of the most notable ways that Source One delivers value to our customers.

The best opportunity that Source One has provided to me has been the ability to learn outside of the classroom.  The  team here at Source One  has been so involved in my development by continuously providing learning opportunities and always being available for console.  Whenever I need assistance, everyone is always willing to be a teacher or to lead by example.  In addition to the Source One staff, the interaction with suppliers and customers across industries has given me direct exposure to the different levels of a supply chain structure.  Through this, I’ve discovered how improving one’s direct and indirect spend management is a crucial step to maximize the efficiency of any supply chain.  I am amazed by the number of savings opportunities that Source One can offer to their clients.  With Source One, I’ve gained a better understanding of how to identify and eliminate wasted spend using a resound procurement process.

In order to become a competitive business, you have to tighten the belt in every spend category – no matter the industry.  This is a crucial step to successful operations management, which is why this internship aligns perfectly with my studies.

 It pleases me to know that this internship has delivered a valuable experience that I can progress forward in my career with.  A year from now, I am set to graduate from DePaul University with an MBA degree—and will once again be cast out into the full-time working world.  I’m interested in leveraging my chemical engineering background with my newly acquired skills in business management to deliver results for a value driven firm.  Ideally, I would like to contribute to manufacturing and other large scale operations.  Thankfully, Source One has enlightened me in a variety of ways to deliver value to such industries. Whether my future company provides a product or a service, I am confident in my ability to deliver value to the firm.  I am glad that Source Once has given me the opportunity to contribute to the success of the company.  I’m looking forward to celebrating future company milestones in the coming months.