Sixty-four percent of  respondents with hiring responsibility expect to bring on new employees in supply chain and operations management within the next 12 months, according to a survey by APICS and the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

This high level of expected hiring, when combined with a 50 percent decrease in expected layoffs, indicates the highest level of net job growth in the operations and supply chain management professions since the global recession began.

"Throughout 2010, we saw incremental improvements in expected hiring in the operations and supply chain management professions," said APICS chief executive officer Abe Eshkenazi. "This significant increase in expected hiring and decrease in expected layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2010, which have manifested themselves in the most recent U.S. Labor Department jobs report, are cause for optimism that 2011 may see increased job creation - at the highest level since the global recession began."

Further, 49 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility are planning to hire within one or more of the following operational areas: execution and control of operations, purchasing/customer relationship management, quality, resources planning, and supply chain management.

"Often, supply chain and operations management are a bellwether for the global economy as a whole. Increased expected hiring at this level across job functions has positive implications for a variety of sectors, including manufacturing," said Drew Rosen, professor of operations management at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and a member of the research team. "This quarter's results are very promising for professionals seeking employment."

The full report is available to APICS members at apics.org/research.  A condensed public version also is available.

Source: APICS