APICS The Association for Operations Management and the University of North Carolina Wilmington Release Operations Management Employment Outlook: 12-Month Hiring Outlook Strong

Data reported in July 2009 indicate that 47 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility anticipate hiring staff—Quality and resource planning are top hiring areas

Chicago, Ill. (August 12, 2009)— APICS The Association for Operations Management and the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina Wilmington released the second quarterly Operations Management Employment Outlook today. The Operations Management Employment Outlook charts future hiring and employment data for the operations management profession. This outlook differs from other published indices as it is forward looking, whereas other indexes are calculated based on historical data. This valuable new forecasting tool gives industry professionals and economists another source of key data they can use in predicting economic growth or decline. 

Data reported in the July 2009 survey indicate that 47 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility anticipate hiring staff in 1 or more of the following operational areas; execution and control of operations, purchasing/customer relationship management (CRM), quality, resource planning and supply chain management. Quality (31.5 percent) and resource planning (19.2 percent) are expected to see the greatest rate of growth, according to the Operations Management Employment Outlook.

Conversely, 36 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility anticipate layoffs during the same period of time, with 22 percent of those (meaning, 8 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility) planning to layoff in 1 of the following operational areas; execution and control of operations, purchasing/CRM, quality, resource planning and supply chain management.

"The most recent data from the Operations Management Employment Outlook indicate that hiring professionals generally expect operations management jobs will be added at a higher rate than they are being lost over the next 12 months," said APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. "This is a promising sign of economic stabilization because operations management job growth sheds light on a variety of industries, including manufacturing."

"Hiring and employment are critical elements of economic forecasting and the data in this report indicate a slight upturn in the economy and improved unemployment numbers over the coming year," said Drew Rosen, professor of operations management at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a member of the research team.

The initial data collection took place in March 2009, with a second round of data collection in July 2009. A random sample from a population of 30,000-plus operations management professionals was surveyed to identify prevailing compensation levels and anticipated hiring trends for operations management professionals over the next year.  

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About APICS The Association for Operations Management
APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources, and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals. For more information about APICS, visit apics.org.

About the University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina Wilmington is a comprehensive public master’s university focused on high quality teaching, research and outreach. UNCW offers bachelor’s degrees in 52 majors, 35 master’s degrees, a Ph.D. in marine biology and an Ed.D. in educational leadership. For the eleventh consecutive year, UNCW is ranked among the top 10 public master’s universities in the South by U.S. News and World Report. The university was also named among the 2010 “Best in the Southeast” by The Princeton Review, for the sixth consecutive year.