In 2019-20, 9 of 10 graduates from Western Michigan University's integrated supply management program were employed or in grad school within three months of graduation. With nearly 100 graduates annually, all students are required to complete an internship prior to graduation. Upon graduation, integrated supply management students command some of the highest starting salaries in the Haworth College of Business. Graduates are well prepared to launch supply chain careers with employers widely recognized for their leadership in the industry.
Reasons employers hire WMU grads
Zhang Career center services
The career center assists students and recent alumni through the career development process, including exploration of business majors and careers. You can also receive help with the internship or job search process. In addition to career development events, online resources and printed materials in the career center, career advisors are available by appointment or during drop-in hours. Contact the Zhang Career Center for more information.
Internships are an important part of the supply chain program. Internship experience is frequently a key factor in obtaining a full-time position after graduation. Internships allow students to find out what aspect of supply management (e.g., purchasing, production, logistics, etc.) they are interested in and also the type of company they would like to work for upon graduation. More than 60 percent of employers make full-time job offers to students who successfully completed an internship experience with them.
Handshake
Handshake is WMU’s employment website. Each student should set up an account and publish a resume. Resumes made public by the student are searchable by employers.
Students use their accounts to view internship and full-time job opportunities posted by employers and sign up for on-campus interviews. For more information, visit the Zhang Career Center.
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Internships
Internships provide students with opportunities to apply the knowledge they have gained through their coursework. In addition, students with internship experiences usually gain more from their integrated supply management courses because of their real world experience and frequently make valuable contributions to the classroom experience of other supply chain students.
ISM interviewing workshop
Held twice each year several weeks before ISM Career Night, students learn about techniques to improve their resume and work with employers such as Ford Motor Co., Kellogg’s, Denso, Whirlpool and Eaton on resume writing and interviewing skills. Students registered on Handshake receive an invitation a couple weeks prior and are asked to pre-register to attend.
ISM Career Night (September and February)
Held twice each year, ISM Career Night offers employer presentations followed by networking. This event assists employers and students in becoming acquainted to discuss internship and full-time employment opportunities. Many employers conduct on-campus interviews on the two days following ISM Career Night. Recruitment for summer internships begins in September.
- Business Career Day (first week of October)
- WMU Career Fair (day following ISM Career Night in February)
Business Externship Program
Designed for pre-business students, an externship is an unpaid, collegiate level job shadow experience. Each student applicant is matched with an organization and assigned to a mentor (often an alum) to learn about the supply chain career field. Employers register to participate in December/January, students apply in February and most externships are completed in May.
Employers participating in the externship program include C.H. Robinson, Coyote Logistics, Eaton, Eliason Corporation, Excel, John Deere, Kellogg, Meijer, Haworth and Stryker.
Application information for the business externship program is available from the Zhang Career Center.
Social Media
All students should consider using social media as a professional resource. Career and Student Employment Services offers a social media management guide. Integrated supply management students should join the WMU ISM group for students, alumni, Executive Council members, industry partners and friends of the program.