)
Vanessa's path to a career in supply chain management.
Vanessa Altuve Fernandez is eager to work in the supply chain industry, as it integrates her love of working with numbers and her most recent work experience. “Logistics, operations management, and analytics are the competencies I’m most passionate about for my future. Supply chain management offers all this and more,” says Vanessa.
An international student from Venezuela, Vanessa is thrilled to be taking the Supply Chain Management courses as part of the Business Administration Diploma program. “Supply chain is constantly evolving and it affects every business. The skills you gain are applicable in any industry regardless of the products or services offered,” states Vanessa.
Graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Electronic Engineering in 2011, Vanessa recalls that despite being a top student and the class valedictorian, she knew that engineering wasn’t the dynamic career she had hoped for.
She arrived in Canada in 2013 and immediately started working for a car-rental agency. With no formal education in English, working as a customer service representative was difficult. Her manager insisted that she answer the phone for an entire day to get over her fear. Her English developed quickly and she was promoted to location manager. In 2015, she won the White Hat Award for best customer service in the transportation/counter check-in agent category. “I was the first employee in our company to receive this prestigious award. This has been my biggest accomplishment so far,” states Vanessa.
Wanting to further her career and after careful consideration, Vanessa chose Bow Valley College to study Supply Chain Management. “The program at Bow Valley College is innovative and integrates practical experience with the learning. They have the tools and the right people. This is a great program,” shares Vanessa.
The Chiu School of Business recently received final government approval for the new Supply Chain Management major which officially launches in fall 2018. Transferability is available towards SAIT’s Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Supply Chain Management major (upon acceptance by SAIT).
