Cotton On Group manager Rebecca Campbell on ‘endless’ opportunities in supply chain industry

An Avalon supply chain worker has revealed the “absolutely endless” opportunities in her field, as a Deakin research project aims to address a staffing shortfall.

Cotton On Customer Planning manager Rebecca Campbell said working in the supply chain industry had “endless” opportunities. Picture: Brad Fleet

Rebecca Campbell says the opportunities in the supply chain industry are “absolutely endless”, as a Deakin project aims to get more women into the field.

The 29-year-old is the customer planning manager for Cotton On Group at its Avalon distribution centre (DC).

Ms Campbell said 60 per cent of the workforce at the Avalon DC was female.

She said the diverse team empowered each other to succeed.

“It’s so refreshing to have the entire team from top to bottom encouraging equal opportunity and for everyone to have a voice,” she said.

Ms Campbell said there was a sense of camaraderie at her workplace, which is 60 per cent women. Picture: Brad Fleet

“It is an incredibly welcoming and warm environment.

“You can feel the camaraderie.”

She said her job had given her a “wholistic understanding” of business operations, including in her team’s work managing the inbound and outbound products for the centre.

“The way we achieve this is the most interesting part because it can differ every day,” Ms Campbell said.

“(It) can span from launching new product or new range, running online or in-store events, and getting peak ready for Christmas.

“From here we’ll work on the timing of product in and out of DC, resource, and capacity to support the planned volume and essentially what our game plan is.

“Ultimately, it’s finding a way to make sure the DC can get the product that our customer loves to them however they like, be it online, in-store, or through a wholesale partner.”

It comes as Deakin University researchers are working with Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (GRLLEN) on a project aimed at building a talent pipeline for the supply chain industry in the Barwon and South Coast of Victoria.

The Supply Chain Talent Pipeline program aims to build on a framework to address longstanding misconceptions about supply chain careers, and create a new recruitment pipeline with a focus on women and young people – two groups currently significantly under-represented in the industry.

Deakin senior research fellow Dr Patricia McLean said the program used a research framework developed as part of an iMOVE project commissioned by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

“It considers structural barriers to recruitment, retention, and promotion across the career life cycle, looking at why women apply for roles, and the factors that affect them being recruited and going on to have a successful career,” Dr McLean said.

Ms Campbell said she recommended other women and young people to join the industry because of the variety of roles available.

“Supply chain is a multifaceted industry, the opportunity is absolutely endless,” she said.

“(The industry) is what you make it to be, we need diversity to keep improving and trying new things.

“The industry literally keeps the world moving.”

For more information on the project, contact GRLLEN chief executive Wayne Elliott on [e-mail] or 0418 333 896.

Originally published as Cotton On Group manager Rebecca Campbell on ‘endless’ opportunities in supply chain industry