Getty ImagesBy Susan RickerPeople, goods and raw materials rarely stay in one place for long. To coo...

1. Skills Spotlight: Logistics and 12 Related Jobs
Getty
Images
By Susan Ricker
People, goods and raw materials rarely stay in one place for long. To coordinate those transportation
needs, we turn to the industry of logistics, materials and supply chain management to keep a global
economy and the people within it moving.
According to an Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. 2014.2 Class of Worker dataset, the logistics,
materials and supply chain management industry is responsible for a lot: managing and coordinating
all logistical functions in an enterprise -- ranging from acquisitions to receiving and handling,
through internal allocation of resources to operations units, to the handling and delivery of output. It
also includes instruction in acquisitions and purchasing, inventory control, storage and handling,
just-in-time manufacturing, logistics planning, shipping and delivery management, transportation,
quality control, resource estimation and allocation and budgeting.
Suffice to say, those who work in logistics have a very strong set of skills, which the Bureau of Labor
Statistics elaborates on:
Important qualities for logistics
Interpersonal skills
Leadership skills
Problem-solving skills
Time-management skills

2. Customer-service skills
Hand-eye coordination
Math skills
Patience
Sales skills
Speaking ability
Visual ability
Communication skills
Concentration skills
Decision-making skills
Organizational skills
Critical-thinking skills
Alertness
Dexterity
Mechanical skills
Visual ability
And to apply those skills, consider any of these 12 related positions within the industry:
1. Industrial production managers* oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants.
They coordinate, plan and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars,
computer equipment or paper products.
2. Air traffic controllers coordinate the movement of air traffic, to ensure that aircraft stay safe
distances apart. Among their responsibilities, air traffic controllers typically issue landing and
takeoff instructions to pilots and monitor and direct the movement of aircraft on the ground and in
the air, using radar, computers or visual references.
3. Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport and drop off packages and
small shipments within a local region or urban area. They drive trucks with a gross vehicle weight --
the combined weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo -- of 26,000 pounds or less. Most of the
time, delivery truck drivers transport merchandise from a distribution center to businesses and
households.

3. 4. Logisticians analyze and coordinate an
organization's supply chain -- the system that
moves a product from supplier to consumer. They
manage the entire life cycle of a product, which
includes how a product is acquired, distributed,
allocated and delivered.
5. Material moving machine operators use
machinery to transport various objects. Some
operators move construction materials around
building sites or the land around a mine. Others
move goods around a warehouse or onto container
ships.
6. Industrial truck and tractor operators drive
trucks and tractors that move materials around
warehouses, storage yards or worksites. These trucks, often called forklifts, have a lifting
mechanism and forks, which makes them useful for moving heavy and large objects. Some industrial
truck and tractor operators drive tractors that pull trailers loaded with material around factories or
storage areas.
7. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators use machines equipped with scoops or
shovels. They dig sand, earth or other materials and load them onto conveyors or into trucks for
transport elsewhere. They also may move material within a confined area, such as a construction
site. Operators typically receive instructions from workers on the ground through hand signals or
radios. Most of these operators work in construction or mining industries.
8. Dredge operators excavate waterways. They operate equipment on the water to remove sand,
gravel or rock from harbors or lakes to help prevent erosion and improve trade. Removing these
materials helps maintain navigable waterways and allows larger ships to use more ports. Operators
also measure the water depth, as well as how much they will be excavating. Dredging is also used to
help restore wetlands and maintain beaches.
9. Crane and tower operators use tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machinery
or other heavy objects. Operators extend and retract horizontal arms and lower and raise hooks
attached to cables at the end of their crane or tower. Operators are usually guided by other workers
on the ground using hand signals or a radio. Most crane and tower operators work at construction
sites or major ports, where they load and unload cargo. Some also work in iron and steel mills.
10. Hoist and winch operators, also called derrick operators or hydraulic boom operators, control
the movement of platforms, cables and cages that transport workers or materials for industrial
operations, such as constructing a high-rise building. Many of these operators raise platforms far
above the ground. Operators regulate the speed of the equipment based on the needs of the
workers. Most work in manufacturing or construction industries.
11. Conveyor operators and tenders control conveyor systems that move materials on an automatic
belt. They move materials to and from places such as building sites, storage areas and vehicles. They
monitor sensors on the conveyor to regulate the speed with which the conveyor belt moves.
Operators may determine the route materials take along a conveyor based on shipping orders.

4. 12. Locomotive engineers drive freight or passenger trains between stations. They drive long-
distance trains and commuter trains, but not subway trains. Most locomotive engineers drive diesel-
electric engines, although some drive locomotives powered by battery or electricity.
*Job titles and descriptions are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook.
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