Association for Supply Chain Management

6 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 9 world and its emerging Second and Third World counterparts. Eshkenazi reveals that ASCM membership has grown by some 10 percent just from the beginning of last year alone. That was when the group launched updated memberships available for just $99 each. “Individuals can add on to their memberships for additional fees, for certifications or belonging to a chapter,” he says, “which gives them some mentoring or related opportunities to engage with other supply chain professionals.” “Currently, we don’t have an affiliate membership, because most of these individuals are in a supply chain function, so they identify themselves as supply chain professionals. There are a variety of jobs within supply chains. There is no job called supply chain,” he elaborates. “I think that’s one of the first things individuals need to understand. A lot like engineering, there’s no job called ‘engineer.’ There’s civil, there’s [the title] architect; there is a variety of engineers. Similarly, with supply chains, there is no job called ‘supply chain,’ but there is a variety of jobs within planning, within warehousing, sustainability, and within a variety of different roles that are supply chain functions.” The focus, he adds, is to prepare people, irrespective of where they are in their careers. From entry-level to mid-career to leadership, there are many opportunities.” A resource center provides content for people, depending on their roles, responsibility, and levels of experience. It also provides them with opportunities for community engagement, whether Internet-based or in-person. Through ASCM membership, there are mentorial work, career assistance, and job fairs. “We are very fortunate,” Eshkenazi observes, “to have some extremely dedicated volunteers that guide our organization.”