What Is Material Management? Career Opportunities & Courses

Human evolution has been such that we have always used the resources that have been given to us by Mother Nature. Such has been the usage that it has often led to levels of exploitation. We have not really cared about the implications of our actions on Mother Nature. As a result, there has been a gradual depletion of resources. After centuries, we have finally realised the same and are now looking forward to undoing the effects of all the harm that we have caused. This has paved the way for the world to be heading towards a more sustainable development.

Now, in light of all that sustainable development, what has happened is that a number of new career options have come up. This is indeed a positive sign for the younger generation. One of the most popular career options with a lot of future scope is that of material management.

As is self-explanatory from the nature of the field itself, here the main purpose of a career is to preserve the natural resources and ensure that we use only what is the bare minimum in an effort to ensure sustainable development. Read on to know more about the same.

• Job Description

The process of acquisition and the use of materials in order to produce the desired finished products is a complex one. All the steps involved in this entire process need to be united such that the planning and controlling goes on in a befitting manner. This is the responsibility of the materials management personnel.

It is the duty of these people to ensure that the maximum efficiency is delivered at the minimum cost. Thus, the higher your efficiency in planning, the more you will ace this job.

• Educational Qualifications

This course is offered at the graduate level for those who have completed their 10+2; the stream does not matter. This is a three-year course in management and candidates who complete the same are seen to land themselves with lucrative job offers both in the campus and beyond.

There are a number of organisations across the country that offer this course. One can also choose to take up a postgraduate degree in material management after having completed their graduation in any discipline.

• Core Subjects

This is a pretty dynamic subject and a lot of planning is required. The core papers here would include export trade and documentation, material and store management, corporate communication and business environment and ethics. Most of the places offering this course also provide the candidates with a number of options for the elective papers.

This would include strategic management, quantitative techniques of management and operations management. The type of electives that you choose will play a major role in deciding what your career growth will be.

• College Fees

This is a major cause of concern for most people in this field. As compared to other similar courses, the fee structure here is slightly on the higher side. For the undergraduate course, the value stands at INR 23,330. The postgraduate degree may either be a PGD or an MBA. The course fee is between INR 24,000 and INR 64,000.

The exact value depends on the institution, whether the course is a full-time or part-time one and whether you are attending classroom teaching or going for distance education. However, there is no reason for you to be alarmed by this. Most of the colleges offering this course give campus placements to its students. Once placed, the salary structure is pretty high.

• Job Opportunities

This is one field where there is ample career scope both in the private sector as well as that of the government sector. Departments like defence, public transport and railways employ these people in their purchasing, storing and supplying departments. Other than that, the corporate sector often requires the services of these people.

These days, supply chain industries are gaining popularity. The success of the same would be impossible without material managers. In case you are interested in pursuing a career opportunity that is a little different from the usual ones, taking up job roles as private transporters is a viable option.

Any manufacturing industries with their own industrial establishments require the services of these people.

• Working Conditions

From a physical point of view, this is a very tiring job because of the adverse working conditions. There are no fixed working hours and since most of the jobs here are in the manufacturing industry, you may be expected to work in shifts.

However, on a positive note, the labour laws of the country govern you as well and you do not have to worry about your safety. The occupational hazards associated with the field are well dealt with and there is indeed not much for you to be worried about.

• Salary

The salary that you take home here will depend on the organisation that you work for. In the private sector, the starting salary for a fresher will be close to INR 2,50,000. The government sector tends to pay more. Companies like the COAL India Limited, National Thermal Power and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation are the highest paying organisations.

Here freshers start off with a salary that is close to INR 3,25,000. With experience, this value only rises and people make as much as INR 8,00,000 per annum. Also, it is important to note that other than the basic salary in question, there are a number of other perks and incentives that are given to most professionals in this field irrespective of whether they are associated with the private sector or that of the government.