The flow of production, shipment and distribution of goods and services plays a big role in all businesses. Effective logistics and supply chain management allow companies to eliminate excess costs and deliver final products to customers quickly.

Professionals working in this field perform various roles to ensure smooth supply chain and logistic operations. Some of the responsibilities include sourcing raw materials, distributing finished goods and managing inventory in warehouses.

You can also advance your career in this field by becoming a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) in Malaysia. The organisation offers different types of individual membership depending on your academic and professional experience. If your company is a corporate member of CILT, you can network with other industry players, get resources, and join training and development programmes.

If you want to get professionally certified in this industry, you can take the CILT Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE). Some courses even offer exemptions to this examination after you complete your studies.

While anyone can step foot in this industry, gaining a supply chain management or logistics degree may improve your career prospects and help you stand out from other candidates. Some courses also require you to undergo industrial training, allowing you to have relevant experience even before graduating.

What you will learn in logistics and supply chain management courses

You can gain a wide range of expertise with the subjects covered in supply chain management and logistics courses. Here are some of the most common subjects:

• Supply chain and logistics management: Gain knowledge of the flow of processes involved in turning raw materials into finished products. Topics covered in this unit may involve supply chain partner selection, business process reengineering and third-party logistics.
• Warehouse and distribution management: Learn about the integration of effective strategies and processes in warehouse and distribution to improve operations and reduce costs as well as environmental impacts.
• International logistics and transportation: Examine how companies utilise their resources to manage global logistics and transportation. You may learn about entering foreign markets, international contracts and multimodal transportation.
• Inventory management: Develop an understanding of essential inventory concepts and principles that streamline supply chain operations. Students may learn about inventory costing methods, control techniques and performance metrics.
• International trade law: Explore international trade regulations for public and private businesses. Some topics that may be covered are rights and duties in international sales transactions, marine insurance and international dispute resolution.
• Sustainable management and operations: Delve into the role of sustainability in operations management. Students may learn how to examine sustainable management practices and review the sustainability of value chains.
• Procurement management: Acquire knowledge of key concepts and practices in procurement management. You may learn about procurement policies and strategies, inspection and testing, value analysis in procurement and the benefits of e-procurement.

Career opportunities in logistics and supply chain management

There are various roles you can consider after you complete your programme. Check out this list of general career opportunities in logistics and supply chain management that can help you identify your field of interest:

Logistics officer

• A logistics officer ensures goods are delivered to the right location at the right time.
• You communicate with suppliers, warehouse employees and transportation companies to ensure a smooth delivery. You may also track inventory and supplies, monitor incoming and outgoing shipments, and arrange the best transportation routes to ensure smooth delivery.
• Average salary: RM2,700 to RM3,600 monthly.

Inventory specialist

• As an inventory specialist, you are tasked to manage and maintain an organisation’s inventory.
• Your responsibilities may include performing inventory counting procedures, managing the storage space in the warehouse and placing orders to replenish stock.
• Average salary: RM3,000 to RM4,000 monthly.

Freight handler

• This role involves making sure that transported products are in good condition.
• Other duties may include loading and unloading shipments, packing and padding goods to minimise the risk of damage during transport and updating the status of deliveries to customers.
• Average salary: RM3,000 to RM4,000 monthly.

Quality assurance executive

• A quality assurance executive ensures that an organisation’s products or services achieve established quality standards.
• You may be involved in developing product testing plans, finding product quality issues, preparing quality assurance policies and reviewing customer feedback for product improvement.
• Average salary: RM3,200 to RM4,000 monthly.

Warehouse manager

• As a warehouse manager, you supervise the storage and shipment procedures at a warehouse.
• Some of your responsibilities may include monitoring the warehouse employees’ work, auditing inventory and recommending which products to restock, and setting up warehouse protocols and policies to operate efficiently.
• Average salary: RM5,000 to RM6,000 monthly.

Supply chain analyst

• This position involves finding ways to upgrade supply chain processes by gathering data on operations and identifying areas for improvement.
• You may also prepare and implement projects to improve supply chain procedures as well as review vendor operations to ensure they abide by quality standards.
• Average salary: RM6,000 to RM7,000 monthly.

Logistics manager

• Logistic managers work together with different internal departments to ensure smooth delivery of goods.
• Some of your duties may involve using data analysis methods to keep track of key performance indicators, monitoring inventory to examine demand patterns and negotiating contracts with suppliers.
• Average salary: RM6,250 to RM8,750 monthly.

Operations manager

• As an operations manager, you utilise an organisation’s resources effectively to optimise business procedures.
• You may also supervise operation budget controls, track the performance of business processes and prepare reports on business operations for management.
• Average salary: RM6,550 to RM9,050 monthly.

Procurement manager

• A procurement manager leads the purchasing team and develops an organisation’s purchasing strategy. You build business relationships with vendors and suppliers and negotiate with them to get the best deals.
• Other responsibilities may include approving the purchasing team’s expenditures, reviewing budgets and timelines to improve the purchasing procedure, and performing risk management processes for contracts and vendor relations.
• Average salary: RM7,400 to RM9,000 monthly.

Export manager

• In this role, you are responsible for all the policies and processes related to exporting goods for an organisation.
• You may be involved in monitoring global shipments, ensuring compliance with customs laws and finding ways to reduce shipping costs and taxes.
• Average salary: RM8,000 to RM9,000 monthly.

Supply chain manager

• As a supply chain manager, you manage the overall supply chain process, from sourcing, purchasing and storing to shipping of goods.
• You may also develop effective strategies to handle products and reduce costs, interact with buyers and suppliers on all logistical matters, and report about the supply chain performance.
• Average salary: RM7,250 to RM9,750 monthly.

Top institutions offering logistics and supply chain management degrees

Undergraduate level

Postgraduate level

FAQs about logistics and supply chain management degrees in Malaysia

Study logistics and supply chain management in Malaysia

Attaining a supply chain management or logistics degree can unlock various career opportunities across different industries. These programmes help you gain in-depth insight and practical skills that are in demand among hiring managers. You can find a diverse range of supply chain management and logistics courses offered by Malaysian universities at the top of this page.