Description of DutiesThis internship involved principle warehouse duties including building and verifying comprehensive logistics reports, participating in all aspects of shipping, receiving, and storage. In addition to fostering strengths in communications and coordination with other departments, the internship also involved the daily use of technological tools, information technologies, and radio frequency identification devices. By performing these and other critical warehouse operations under the tutelage of supervisory staff, I was able to link theory and practice. I learned the rubric of materials management at all levels of the supply chain. Likewise, I learned how senior logisticians handle essential and sensitive materials to meet core objectives. I also gained a greater awareness of logistics overall, as my duties did entail integrating the warehouse systems into the overall operations of the organization.

Learning Objectives

Among the multitude of learning objectives, the most important were those that integrated private and public sector regulations. As Rutner (2000) points out, logistics creates value for private sector organizations, and can also do that for the military and the public sector. Applying army regulations to the internship, one of my core objectives was the build a level of competency that would allow me to work independently on most tasks, without supervision. Based on the 360 degree assessment, this was an objective that was exceeded, as both peer reviews and supervisor feedback indicated.

Problem solving is one of the core components of logistics management. In the warehouse setting, innumerable challenges arise on a daily basis. The internship illustrated “strategies for better preparedness and the need for supply chains to be agile, adaptable and aligned,” (Van Wassenhove, 2005, p. 475). Creative problem solving was used at several key...

Moreover, one of the learning objectives was to function as the material floor manager at the warehouse. The 360 degree evaluation highlighted that this competency had been achieved.
While self-confidence grew with each week, I also remained open to continual feedback. The 360 degree model of evaluation was extremely helpful in providing ongoing feedback and ensuring a flow of communication. Additionally, the 360 degree evaluation method encourages all stakeholders to communicate professionally and tactfully, verbally and also in writing. Regular self-assessments helped me to communicate my needs, such as conveying areas in which I needed further instruction so as to avoid miscommunication.

The internship also aimed to improve my awareness of different record keeping methods used in warehouses, increasing familiarity with warehouse management information systems. Mastery of these systems is crucial for success in a logistics field. During this internship, I have been contributing information that has been instructive for designing and developing future warehouse management systems that use sophisticated methods of material management. These systems add an extra layer of protection from potential crises. As Sheffi (2001) points out, logistics managers need to build in redundancies to mitigate threats; dealing with the contingencies of additional security concerns does, however, imply potentially “less reliable lead times and less certain demand scenarios,” (p. 1). The goal in the future is to develop systems that are both efficient and robustly secure. I also learned about the array of new technologies used in both private and military sectors for managing inventory, such as the implementation of RFID. As costly as RFID investments have been, they have also tremendously improved security and…