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Is Your Education Insufficient, Obsolete, or Both?

Author(s):

Robert A. Kemp, Ph.D., C.P.M.
Robert A. Kemp, Ph.D., C.P.M., ISM Past President, 1997-98

May 2003, Inside Supply Management^® Vol. 14, No. 5, page 2

Completing a degree doesn't mean the end of the journey; professional development is alifelong endeavor and requires personal investment.

In the April 1, 2002, issue of BusinessWeek magazine, there was an article that reported some good and bad news regarding economic changes, technology, and people throughout the past decade. The data show that the number of American workers with at least some college education rose from 40 percent in 1991 to 51 percent in 2000. The writer suggests that this gain was great; I suggest that this level of education poses distinct threats for us all.

If you are one of those 49 percent without any college education, there is the threat that the world is getting further ahead of you. If you are one of those with some college education, the world may already be passing you. Now if you have a degree you have two problems: first, the world is catching up with you, and second, the education that you completed years ago is becoming more obsolete every day. Many of us think of our education and professional development as complete and a given. That is a grand-scale fallacy and takes us to professional mediocrity. Education and learning must be a lifelong process.

The February 2003 CAPS Research Cross-Industry Benchmark Report shows that supply management employees averaged 28 hours of training for the year — only 28 hours. The average spend on supply management training was $870 per person. The average purchasing spend per purchasing employee was $19.16 million. Comparing the average spent for training to the average total spend per individual provides an infinitesimally small number.

These CAPS data led me to five conclusions. First, the companies in those industries are not providing sufficient training, or the individuals are not reporting any ongoing training. Second, I believe that a supply management workforce with an increasingly obsolete global-markets education puts companies at risk. Third, companies and individuals are failing to take advantage of numerous professional education opportunities that are readily available. Fourth, companies and individuals can quickly and finitely benchmark education and professional development achievements against the CAPS data — you either exceeded the average or you failed. Fifth, and in my opinion most important, is that those of us who call ourselves professionals must make a personal investment in our future. You should have a personal goal for education each year. Our companies should have established education goals for employees. The average company spent $870 last year; surely we could match or exceed that with personal investment.

Most of us are fortunate to have educational resources close at hand. As members of the Institute for Supply Management™, you have access to the premier professional education and development organization for supply management professionals. These resources are available locally, regionally, and nationally. Education can be as simple as logging on and beginning to think and learn. Similarly, we have community colleges and four-year universities all across the country with programs (traditional and online) ready and waiting for you.

I know that some will say, "I just can't do that now." But, I know that you can. Back in 1953, my bosses told me to "get a four-year degree, or else!" I earned undergraduate degrees in the evening programs of two major universities. It was a significant family investment that took almost 10 years of study. I know others who have recently completed business degrees in evening programs. I am convinced that you can do it too, and the personal investment now will pay you huge dividends in the years ahead.

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