1.  Can you explain your roles and responsibilities with your current position?

“I am a transportation coordinator at a container services company. I am
responsible for coordinating export shipments to be transported to other countries. This involves using multiple port systems on the computer, tracking vessel schedules, coordinating with customers, and ensuring we are equipped to meet the customers need for the export. My job is computer-based and requires quick and efficient problem-solving. There are different types of transportation coordinators – those that focus on import (containers/product coming into Canada from other countries), those that focus on the highway (loads being hauled to farther locations within Canada or US), and those focusing on export (containers leaving Canada to other countries).”

2. What obstacles have you faced to get you where you are today?

“I did not know about transportation management as a career until I worked a customer service role in the supply chain. There, I became interested in aspects of the supply chain that I never would have known before. I worked multiple jobs to eventually get to where I am now and obtained my bachelor’s degree while working full time. As a minority, I struggled to get any interview offers, as employers immediately assumed I wasn’t qualified when they looked at my foreign name. It was very difficult to find workplaces that respected and employed different minorities and valued their unique experiences.”

3. What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing?

“Research different roles in the supply chain! When people think “supply chain”, they think about warehouse workers lifting heavy boxes. But there are many more roles beyond that, all of which are just as crucial. Supply chain positions as a “career” aren’t normally advertised in high school or university – people just stumble upon them.”

4. Why are you passionate about your job or role?

“I’m passionate about learning about different facets of the supply chain, and why they are contributing to supply chain issues across the world today. There is a wealth of knowledge to learn, all of which can be applied to any country.”

5. What is your favourite part about your job?

“My favourite part of my job is problem-solving. Every day is different, and every issue that comes up is often unique. For example, a driver’s reservation at the port to drop off a container may be invalid – in this case, I would need to reach out to the port to see why, and ensure nothing has changed with the booking. I speak with multiple people every day and am never bored in my role due to the constant challenges that come up. I also love that my employer pays a fair wage, and employs many people from various backgrounds.”

6. If you could have any other job what would it be?

“My goal is to become a transportation manager (oversee operations of an entire company). However, if I didn’t work in transportation, I would love to be an equine-assisted therapist, since I have a bachelor in psychology and love horses. Equine-assisted therapists offer counselling/therapy and use horses as a therapeutic buffer/aid.”

  In conclusion, I learned a lot about the supply chain industry that I did not know of before. For example, transportation coordinators arrange the delivery of products to customers or companies such as production facilities. This connects to my passions and interests because I have always been interested in the import and export of goods to other countries and hopefully working in a career field where I would get to do that. This was a meaningful connection to me because I got to learn the ins and outs of working in the supply chain industry and keep it as one of my future career considerations.