Across the industry, one theme is clear: the supply chain leaders of tomorrow will need a different set of skills than those before them. Success will depend on adaptability, data-driven decision making, a commitment to continuous improvement, and the ability to collaborate across functions and technologies. Leadership also means balancing efficiency with resilience — ensuring supply chains can perform under both everyday demands and unexpected disruptions.
At Tighe Logistics, we’ve seen these needs firsthand through our work with customers, partners, and students. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to help prepare the next generation of professionals to step into those roles with confidence.
In addition, the logistics industry is facing a well-documented challenge: finding and retaining qualified employees who can meet the growing complexity of global supply chains. To address this gap, Tighe is helping prepare the next generation of supply chain professionals through collaboration with universities. CEO Bob Willert explains, “It’s hard to get hands-on experience while you are still a student. We’re giving students at all levels of study the chance to put the skills and theories they are learning in class to work.”
Characteristics of the Next Generation of Supply Chain Leaders
The supply chain leaders of tomorrow will need to navigate an industry that is more complex, more connected, and more fast-paced than ever before. Based on countless engagements with customers, partners, and students, a few traits consistently rise to the top:
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- Adaptability: Supply chains must respond quickly to demand shifts, disruptions, and new technologies. Leaders will need to embrace change as a constant.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: The ability to interpret analytics, model scenarios, and translate insights into action will be critical in guiding operations at scale.
- Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Future leaders will need a mindset of refinement and innovation — leveraging methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma to drive efficiency and safety while never losing sight of quality.
- Collaboration Across Functions: Success will depend on breaking down silos and working seamlessly across departments, partners, and even geographies.
- Resilience and Foresight: Beyond efficiency, leaders must be prepared for uncertainty — building supply chains that can bend under pressure without breaking.
At Tighe, we believe these qualities are not only essential for the industry at large, but they’re also what we aim to nurture in the students and interns who work with us. That’s why our partnerships with Boston University, Northeastern, and our own internship program are designed to give participants the opportunity to develop and apply these skills in real-world environments.
Boston University: Graduate-Level Capstone Projects
Seven Boston University students who are working on Master’s Degrees in Supply Chain Management are spending their capstone semester working in Tighe’s warehousing and distribution center for a global robotics manufacturer. Here, they’re applying their coursework in operations management, process design, and Lean Six Sigma to real-world challenges. The scope of their projects is both ambitious and practical:
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- Labor Forecasting & Cross-Training Model — The students are developing a dynamic labor model that adapts to fluctuating demand. By aligning workforce schedules with order volumes, and introducing cross-training strategies, the model helps ensure that labor capacity can flex up or down without sacrificing efficiency or service.
- Continuous Improvement / 5S Audit — Students are conducting a 5S-based safety and efficiency audit in a live warehouse setting. Beyond the initial audit, they are creating a repeatable template that will allow Tighe teams to monitor conditions consistently over time, reinforcing safety, organization, and productivity.
- Risk & Resilience Playbook — To prepare for surges, such as those driven by Amazon promotions or seasonal spikes, the team is mapping out potential bottlenecks across labor, space, and transportation. The resulting playbook provides contingency strategies that give Tighe a proactive framework to handle volume shocks with resilience.
- Process Standardization — Recognizing the importance of consistency, students are reviewing and revising standard operating procedures (SOPs). They are also designing visual job aids to support training, reduce variability, and accelerate onboarding — tools that enhance both accuracy and speed in daily operations.
“These projects are designed so that students aren’t just analyzing problems — they’re solving them,” explains CEO Bob Willert. “The deliverables they create are tools Tighe can put to work immediately in our operations. It’s a great example of academia and industry working hand-in-hand to advance the profession.”
The students’ efforts go well beyond classroom theory. They’re walking the warehouse floor, interacting with Tighe team members, and testing solutions in a live environment. For them, it’s career-shaping exposure to the fast pace and complexity of modern logistics. For Tighe, it’s an opportunity to inject fresh ideas into operations while helping shape the professionals who will lead tomorrow’s supply chains.
Northeastern University: Sharing Industry Insight
That commitment to preparing the next generation doesn’t stop at BU. A few weeks ago, Bob proctored at Northeastern University, guiding students in the Supplier Management program as they connected classroom learning with real-world logistics challenges. By sharing his time, insights, and experiences, Bob helped students bridge theory and practice — an experience they described as “truly enlightening.”
“Students want to understand how the concepts they’re learning actually play out when the stakes are high,” Bob reflects. “Sharing real-world challenges and solutions gives them a perspective they simply can’t get from a textbook.”
Tighe’s Internship Program: Growing the Talent Pipeline
Alongside its university collaborations, Tighe continues to invest in its own internship program, launched in 2024. Unlike many corporate internships, the program is built around each intern’s individual interests and career goals. Some are drawn to IT and artificial intelligence, others to transportation, warehousing, or process improvement. No matter their focus, all interns are given opportunities to contribute to meaningful projects and to see how their work connects to the bigger picture.
Interns collaborate with multiple departments, attend leadership meetings, and take on team projects that strengthen both their technical skills and their ability to collaborate. The emphasis is on well-rounded professional development.
Building leadership skills is critical. Beyond technical know-how, interns are encouraged to practice working in teams. This gives them the opportunity to learn how to navigate different perspectives and personalities, as well as take on leadership roles in group projects.
“An internship shouldn’t just be about shadowing — it should be about doing,” Bob says. “We want our interns to leave here not only with stronger resumes, but with real confidence in their ability to contribute from day one of their careers.”
The benefits run both ways. Interns bring new perspectives and ideas rooted in the latest research and technology. Their curiosity and willingness to challenge assumptions push Tighe to keep innovating and adapting.
A Shared Commitment to the Future
Through partnerships like these, Tighe is building a stronger bridge between academia and industry. Students gain the experience and confidence they need to succeed, while Tighe — and its customers — benefit from fresh thinking and tangible improvements in operations.
The logistics industry faces a growing challenge in finding skilled talent — but initiatives like these help close that gap. By investing in students today, Tighe is not only strengthening its own workforce but also helping to build a pipeline of leaders ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow. From the rise of e-commerce and AI to the need for more resilient global supply chains, the future will demand new ideas and agile talent. At Tighe, we believe the best way to meet that future is to help prepare it.
As CEO Bob Willert explains: “The logistics industry is evolving faster than ever, and the companies that will thrive are the ones preparing people to meet tomorrow’s challenges. That’s why we’re so focused on creating opportunities for students and young professionals to learn, contribute, and grow. We believe that kind of forward thinking doesn’t just strengthen our operations — it makes Tighe a place where people can build meaningful, long-term careers.”
Tighe Logistics is a premier third-party logistics provider (3PL) headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Learn more about Careers at Tighe at: https://tighe-co.com/careers/
