Supply Chain Talent & Leadership Trends Across Africa

Summary

Podcast Summary: Supply Chain Now

Episode: Supply Chain Talent & Leadership Trends Across Africa

Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Scott Luton (B) with Co-host Claire Fincham (C)
Guests: Nicole Peterson (D), Yasin Ahmed (A)

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Episode Overview

This Supply Chain Now episode dives into talent and leadership trends in supply chain across Africa, focusing on key takeaways from the SAPIEX Annual Conference 2025 and highlighting innovative solutions for bridging talent gaps. The discussion brings together perspectives from academia, young professionals, and industry leadership, offering practical insights, case studies, and advice for both aspiring and established supply chain professionals.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Future of Africa in Supply Chain Talent

• Africa’s Youthful Potential: Opening the conversation, Yasin asserts, "I'm a firm believer that Africa is the future. I think Africa is positioned to be a leader in the world when it comes to talent and youth talent." (00:00)
• Pan-African Opportunities: Claire underscores the importance of thinking beyond South Africa and seeing Africa as a continent of diverse opportunity and innovation.

2. Panelist Introductions & Backgrounds

• Nicole Peterson: Program Manager at the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA), focused on bridging the gap between education and employment for young talent, especially in analytical and supply chain roles. (07:54)
  • “We build bridges between students and opportunities, universities and employers, and ultimately between potential and possibility.” (08:56)
• Yasin Ahmed: South African entrepreneur, founder of Luna, and recent Drexel and Columbia University graduate, recognized for advancing careers and circular economies. His company, Luna, combines AI and human expertise to overhaul resume writing and has helped 750+ clients in 40 countries. (10:30)

3. Perspectives on Cape Town and Local Culture

• Panelists share local experiences in Cape Town, from the Sea Point promenade to unique markets and the local aquarium, emphasizing the city's world-class, cosmopolitan feel and entrepreneur-driven markets. (04:42–07:15)

4. SAPIEX Annual Conference 2025 – Key Takeaways

• Panel Diversity: The panel intentionally brought together stakeholders from industry, academia, and government to address the supply chain talent gap.
  • “It was really a thoughtful process of how can we get everyone from along the value chain, the talent value chain, on the same stage and engaging in a meaningful conversation to drive toward an impactful solution.” – Yasin (17:25)
• Passion and Community: The conference’s hallmark was its palpable passion and community spirit. Attendees valued ongoing post-conference discussions and actionable follow-ups.
  • “For me, the takeaway of the conference is to continue the conversations… it’s very important to translate that into actions.” – Claire (19:21)
• Networking Beyond the Stage: Nicole found value in engaging with passionate exhibitors and learning about their contributions to the industry. (14:42)

5. Emerging Talent Trends in African Supply Chain

Nicole outlined four major trends from SAGEA’s research:

1. Boom in Early-Talent Hiring: The number of employers recruiting supply chain graduates has doubled since 2023.
2. Rising Vacancies: For the first time in 21 years, unfilled supply chain graduate vacancies have overtaken audit, ICT, legal, and finance.
3. Skills Gap: Mismatch between technical skills and customer-facing/UX skills employers need versus what graduates offer.
4. Sustainability Mindset Gap: Need for grads who “can adopt the ethos of sustainability and the green economy,” which current degrees do not yet fully address. (21:21–23:11)

• Advice on Resumes: Yasin urges candidates to tailor resumes for each application, aligning specific skills and accomplishments to the role—one of the biggest misses among job seekers. (27:00)

6. Closing the Talent Gap: Case Studies

a. Quantify Your Future (QIF) Ecosystem (Nicole)

• Developed to address South Africa’s "broken math pipeline," QIF linked students with analytical skills to critical roles in banking, insurance, and fintech.
  • “So, we ran virtual internships, school outreach programmes, innovation showcases, future skills forums... All designed to connect the dots. And like a supply chain, we kept checking, listening, and adjusting. And what was the result? Flow.” (28:22)
• The project’s collaborative, feedback-driven approach ensured continuous improvement and measurable outcomes.

b. Drexel Supply Chain Advisory Board (Yasin)

• Yasin pioneered an advisory board connecting industry leaders with Drexel faculty to align curriculum with real-world employer needs, facilitate mentorship, and provide touchpoints for students earlier in their academic careers.
  • “I was able to bring together 16 industry stakeholders to, number one, align Drexel’s academic offerings with what’s really being requested... and build closer relationships with these employers to improve the touch points that they have with our students.” (32:59)

7. Leadership & Innovation Across Africa

Notable African Leadership Innovations

• Last-Mile Disruption: Nicole highlights a South African grocery delivery app that cracked last-mile logistics—a leapfrogging “playbook for all leaders.” (41:30)
• Entrepreneurship as Skill Incubator: Yasin advocates for entrepreneurship, citing it as a key source of soft skills and adaptability. (42:36)
• Ubuntu in Leadership: Claire emphasizes the African concept of Ubuntu—“I am, because you are”—as foundational to collaborative success in supply chains. (44:46)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Africa is positioned to be a leader in the world when it comes to talent and youth talent.”
  – Yasin Ahmed (00:00, 42:36)

• “We bring employers, universities and students together... we build bridges between students and opportunities, universities and employers, and ultimately between potential and possibility.”
  – Nicole Peterson (08:56)

• “Claire, did you hear? Yasin? Triple major. I had a big time problem with one major in school and he's over here killing it with a triple major.”
  – Scott Luton (12:24)

• “There needs to be this active and intentional engagement between... academic institutions, industry, and agencies... to align academic offerings with what’s really being requested.”
  – Yasin Ahmed (23:31)

• “So what?” factor:
  – Emphasized by Claire and Scott as a critical follow-up mechanism post-conference and in all professional alignment: what is the actionable outcome? (19:21, 20:05)

• “Instead of the talent leaking out of the pipeline, we created pathways where students actually transitioned into these critical roles. For me, that's the magic.”
  – Nicole Peterson (30:17)

• “It's not an us and them, it's an us and us.”
  – Nicole Peterson (38:13)

• “Ubuntu, meaning I am. Because you are... If I'm not doing well in my department, you can't be doing well in your department. So let's all just collaborate and make sure we are one thing and one flow.”
  – Claire Fincham (44:46)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – Africa’s talent outlook and episode introduction
• 02:04–10:30 – Panel introductions, backgrounds, and local flavor on Cape Town
• 14:42–17:18 – First impressions and key takeaways from SAPIEX Annual Conference 2025
• 21:07–23:11 – Nicole’s four major supply chain talent trends for 2025
• 27:00 – Yasin’s practical advice for resume customization and job seekers
• 28:22 – Nicole’s Quantify Your Future (QIF) case study
• 32:59 – Yasin’s Drexel Advisory Board initiative
• 41:30–42:29 – African-led innovation in logistics, and a look to Africa’s demographic future
• 44:46 – Ubuntu as a supply chain and leadership principle
• 47:06–48:26 – Claire previews SAPIEX’s 60th anniversary and upcoming events

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Africa is rapidly becoming a powerhouse for supply chain talent and innovation.
• Collaboration between academia, industry, and young professionals is key to bridging persistent skills gaps.
• Continuous feedback, action-oriented follow-up, and realignment between education and employment needs are yielding measurable results.
• Soft skills, adaptability, and storytelling are increasingly important for job seekers.
• Leadership in Africa often models leapfrogging, resilience, and a deep sense of pan-African community, with valuable lessons for global leaders.

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Where to Connect & Learn More

• Nicole Peterson/SAGEA: segea.org.za / LinkedIn
• Yasin Ahmed/Luna: luna-resume.com / LinkedIn
• Claire Fincham/SAPIEX: sapiex.org.za / LinkedIn

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Final Word

“Your challenge is to take one thing from what you heard here... put it into action. It’s all about deeds, not words.”
— Scott Luton (50:22)

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Transcript

[A]

I'm a firm believer that Africa is the future. You know, I think Africa is positioned to be a leader in the world when it comes to talent and youth talent.

[B]

Welcome to Supply Chain now the number one voice of Supply chain. Join us as we share critical news, key insights and real supply chain leadership from across the globe, one conversation at a time. Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Scott Lewton.

[A]

Hey.

[B]

And special co host Claire Finch. I'm here with you on Supply Chain Now. Welcome to today's show. Claire, how you doing today?

[C]

Thank you, Scott. Great. Awesome to be on a podcast with you again. Feel very privileged. Thank you.

[B]

Same. And Claire, really quick, you're not going to be dodging any trees or anything, right? You've got some neighbors doing some critical work.

[C]

I checked that. The insured life and the household insurances has been paid.

[B]

That is. That's terrific. We're talking pretty sure. Folks, one of her neighbors is taking down a tree. So we hope we won't be interrupted. But folks, we got a terrific conversation here today. We continue our Supply Chain Leadership Across Africa series which has been one really important component of our mission for years. We've had just some of the most extraordinary conversations as part of this series. And Claire, I've enjoyed hosting some of these with you and other members of the SAPIX team. And folks, we're going to continue the hits keep on coming here. Today we're going to be spotlighting sheer brilliance and leadership innovation and supply chain management across the continent of Africa. Today we're going to be discussing key takeaways from the SAPIEX Annual Conference 2025 held in Cape Town last June. We're going to be diving into the topic of global supply chain talent and some of the trends that we're seeing there. Of course we'll talk leadership, but in particular, we're going to be sharing some examples of innovative leadership across Africa to other parts of the world. Could learn from all that and much, much more. Claire, it should be a great show, huh?

[C]

Absolutely. And it's great to have everyone on this call with beautiful young, clever people. We're gonna guide the way.

[B]

I like that. Clever is a great word. That's a great word. I hadn't used that in years. I'm gonna steal that from you, Claire. But let me introduce our clever and brilliant guests here today. Nicole Peterson is a professional development and career strategist with over two decades of industry leadership experience, helping young talent bridge that gap between education and employment. Currently, she serves as a program manager of the South African Graduate Employers association where she leads the quantify your future initiative. How about that? Empowering students in analytical fields to explore emerging career opportunities, pursue further education and and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Now Nicole is joined by Yasin Ahmed, who was recognized by Reuters As a 2024 future leader in supply chain. I would argue he's a current leader in global supply chain. Now Yasin is a South African entrepreneur and CEO dedicated to advancing circular economies across the continent as well as advancing careers. A Drexel graduate that is now pursuing a master's in in Sustainability Management at Columbia University, Yasine also founded Luna, a resume review service that has supported over 750 clients in 40 countries. Man let's welcome in Nicole and Yasine. Nicole, how are you doing today?

[D]

I'm all good in yourself, thanks Scott.

[B]

Wonderful. Great to have you here. And Yasine, so great. Great to reconnect with you too.

[A]

No, likewise. I'm really looking forward to today's conversation.

[B]

Scott Claire, Man, Nicole and Yasine have been busy, goodness gracious, piling up achievements and doing so much impact across global business, huh?

[C]

Absolutely. And it was really great that they were able to start their coordinated discussions at Sapphics this year. And Nicole mentioned to me she wished she'd had a couple of hours to share because there was so much that they wanted to say. So it's fantastic to be able to continue this conversation.

[B]

That is right. And folks, if you're listening or viewing the connect the dots there, Nicole and Yasine, we're on this home run panel session as part of the great programming at Sapicks in Cape Town in June. So we'll touch on that probably here in a second. But I want to start with a fun warm up question. That's how we do things around here. And I want to, you know, all of us have had wonderful experiences, some more than others in the beautiful city of Cape Town. And Nicole, I'll start with you because I think you're a current resident of Cape Town so you really have inside knowledge. What is one of your favorite aspects of the Cape Town experience? And maybe one that folks don't know as much about.

[D]

So I think for me it is going out on a Saturday morning early and walking on the Sea Point promenade and not knowing whether you are in LA or in London or in New York or wherever. It's just absolutely world class and beautiful. So that's really, really one of my most favorite things to do.

[B]

Oh, I love it. You know, sometimes I have that feeling Elsewhere in the world. I don't know where I am and what I'm doing sometimes, but the scenery is remarkable. It is remarkable.

[D]

Absolutely gorgeous.

[B]

And if you catch the weather, you know, I've been several times. The first time I went to Cape Town, the weather did not cooperate. It was very rainy, like, all week. But then this last time, it was just gorgeous, beautiful. Now, you seen. Nicole's painted quite a picture already. What would you add about the Cape Town experience?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, on that point of the. If the weather's not fantastic, I mean, one of my favorites is the aquarium in Cape Town.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

They have a kelp forest that I just sit at for hours when I visit the aquarium. It's just incredibly serene and, yeah, always brings me down to earth.

[B]

So I got to ask you, what is. Out of all the exhibits and the fish and all the other animals, what's one exhibit there at the aquarium that fascinates you?

[A]

I mean, aside from the. Aside from the kelp forest. I really enjoy looking at the jellyfish. They've got these tanks where they hit them with different neon lights. And it's just very, very artistic in. In some sort of way.

[B]

I love it. I love it. Man, I didn't even know that. That's. I got to add that to my radar. Claire, you've been holding out. You hadn't given me these inside tips. At Cape Town. What's one of your favorites?

[C]

Next. Next time you come, you're going to have to spend at least two more days. So aside from the wine farms. Right. We have to mention it, but I know you said unusual, so I. I like the. The Aranya sichen. I hope I've pronounced that right. Pronounced that right. Nicole Market, which takes place also near the. The VA waterfront in a very lovely, pretty little bay with. With boats. And it really showcases the amazing talent that Capetonians have for small businesses. Being creative, making food and jams and preserves and goods that you can buy and gifts and flowers and herbs. You can spend a lot of money. It's a very lovely outing and great breakfast afterwards.

[D]

I should have probably mentioned that. That is the only reason why I run to go to Rania supermarket afterwards for all the treats.

[B]

That makes so much sense, Nicole. And gosh, you had me at wine, though, Claire, if I'm being honest, you had me at wine on the front part of your response. But who doesn't love a wonderful market like that where local artisans can really share their superpowers in delicious ways? So I look forward to that next time. I'M there in Cape Town. All right, so let's do this. I'm a big fan of context in this ever fast moving world. We don't get enough of it. So I want to make sure folks kind of know a little bit more about each of y' all professionally and what your organizations do. So Nicole, tell us about yourself and what the sagea, which is the South African Graduate Employers association, what the organization does.

[D]

Absolutely. So thank you so much for that, Scott and Claire, I don't know about young if I've spent the last 20 years in the graduate and early career space, but I'll take it as a compliment. But definitely just from a personal perspective. For me it's helping young people figure out how their studies and their talents connect to real opportunity. So I don't know if that sounds like a real job, but thankfully my CEO at SAGIA thinks that it is. And it's where we bring employers, universities and students together. So in simple terms, we are hub. We support employers who want to build talent at an early career level. And we also support students and universities by helping them understand what careers are out there, especially in the new and emerging space. We do research insights, we host events, training and development opportunities, and we run initiatives like Quantify your future, which I'll talk about a little bit later. But essentially we build bridges between students and opportunities, universities and employers, and ultimately between potential and possibility.

[B]

Nicole, I love that, and that is a very big job and a very big responsibility. And one other thing to call out to our audience members is you had a very successful business career in HR that I bet you draw on and I bet presents tremendous value to the students that you're guiding, huh?

[D]

Absolutely. Because I know that I'm preparing them for the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly. But it really formed a good foundation for me in terms of what is happening in the world of work, like honestly and realistically. And what should students be preparing themselves for outside of the textbook and the academic commitments that they have?

[B]

Love that, Claire. Man, Nicole's passion just jumps out of the screen. I wish I had Nicole back in my early parts of my journey when I didn't know where I was going, didn't know what I was doing. Claire, huh?

[C]

Absolutely. Scott. When I first met Nicole and we had a fantastic conversation to see how Sapix and said SAGIA could work together, I was like, goodness gracious, did I miss that at university, this wonderful guidance. And she's given me some great ideas of how we can help our students at Sapix as Well, so I'm very grateful for the relationship.

[B]

Love it. Another example of the power of the SAPIX ecosystem, folks. If you're not plugged in, you're missing out. You seen, it's amazing what you have done already and I know you just had made a big move back to kind of fuel your next chapter. We might touch on that in a second. But tell us a little more about yourself and the cool things that Luna has been doing.

[A]

Yeah, of course. Happy to, happy to share. So you know, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Ventured over to the US in 2018 for my undergrad degree. Pursued a triple major in supply chain management and logistics, finance and Business analytics at Drexel University, R1 Research University in, in Philadelphia. Made the move back post graduation to work in management consulting at a company called Carney, specializing in strategic operations and supply chain. Did a lot of projects in mining, oil and gas. Did some engagements with some government entities in the Middle east and then obviously decided to make the move back to the US to pursue my master's degree. But during that time I started a business called Luna, which specializes in personalized resume reviews for young students, full professionals. And I mean we've made significant impact over the past year. I mean just this year we've helped over 250 students. And you know, we are opening up our doors not just to young professionals and students, but just to later, later professionals as well. People that have been in industry for 10, 15 years. I think we've delivered exceptional results and we use minimal touch with AI, which I think is really changing our, our approach and our results.

[B]

Yeah, you see, I love that. It sounds like you use a very effective blend of AI and technology and the human expertise. Right. Is that what I'm hearing?

[A]

No, definitely. I think with the emergence of generative AI and with these programs that you're able to autogenerate a resume with your inputs, I think it's really stealing away that kind of personality from your document. I think we find a lot of our clients coming to us and experiencing an immediate impact after using our services. So yeah, I think your resume should really speak to your story. It should reflect you as a person and it shouldn't really be a robot spitting words back onto paper.

[B]

Well said. Completely agree. It needs to be human and a great representation of, of your human superpowers. Claire, did you hear? Yasin? Triple major. I had a, I had a big time problem with one major in school and he's over here killing it with a triple major. Your thoughts? Claire?

[C]

When I first Met him, I realized that he is a very smart guy and we very pleased to have him as a suffix member. And he was an ambassador for a while for us. But I agree and love the concept of the CVs. I think it's a dynamic. It should be a dynamic document that you almost update even if you're not looking for employment sort of every six months because you're busy learning stuff and building up your own body of knowledge. And why not put it on the paper? So well done, your business, you seen, and all the best with that.

[A]

Agreed. Guys, I'm blushing right now.

[B]

Really quick. I teased something, but you just had a big move. Would you like to share kind of what you're doing now before we talk APEX Conference?

[A]

Of course. Is this to the, is this to the advisory board or is this to.

[B]

The, the big move to Colombia? Right about the right scene.

[A]

Right, right. Yeah. So recently just made the move back to New York to pursue my master's degree in sustainability management at Columbia. So I'll be in New York up until next year in December, and then, fingers crossed, we, we find a job and stay in New York.

[B]

So how did you manage logistics successfully in that move?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, fortunately enough, you know, had been through the whole process with my undergrad finding apartments, so that was really fortunate to have a support network here in the US that, you know, was able to visit some apartments in person for me, because some of those listings that were online were completely different in person. But yes, happy we're all, all successful with the move thus far.

[B]

Good, good. We're gonna get some pictures. Look forward to. Congrats on the move. Let's, let's shift gears. Let's talk about the SAPicks Annual Conference 2025, which again was held in June, and the collection. We'll start with you again. Y' all gave, y' all had a great panel session. I, I hated I had to miss it. But as, as Claire had mentioned, we had our work cut out for us that day. But y' all had rave reviews on this panel session. Y' all did. But whether it's, it's key takeaways from that panel session or just from the conference in general, because I, I, I don't know about you all. I had like three pages of real powerful moments. Nicole, what comes to mind about a key takeaway or two?

[D]

I think for me, logistically, the first thing I did was when I left, I called my boss and I said, these people know how to put a conference together because we've got One coming in November. And then I think apart from being on the panel with such esteemed guests and having such good feedback and energy and engagement from our audience, it was very cool visiting the exhibitors in terms of it not being a career fair. So I wasn't going there looking for a job. I was actually going there and finding out what are they doing, how are they contributing and just learning from the exhibitors. I didn't have a lot of time to visit the other sessions, but those for me are the two takeouts at Sapphics know how to put a conference together at scale and being able to engage with the exhibitors that were really passionate about their fields and how they contribute to the industry at large.

[B]

Nicole, I wholeheartedly agree with you. And Claire, I get you a comment before we get your scenes. Key takeaway. If I had one word that I could choose very judiciously and apply it to my experience at the say Picks conference. I think Nicole nailed his passion. You meet some of the most passionate leaders that are on noble missions. This might sound cheesy, but they're truly changing the world and it's palpable. Claire, your quick comment, sir?

[C]

I always wish that the SAPEX conference was about four days long, five days long because I can never do everything that I want to do and listen to and meet and digest and connect and we have to pack it into two and a half days. You absolutely write up Avon, our conference management company, do a fantastic job of arranging our conference for us. And I love the passion. I could feel the vibe this year in my body with everybody talking and smiling and engaging and when you're hosting a conference, that's really what you want. Obviously there's other ways we can do things and we can do things differently and. But essentially I think we've got a good, a good product and we are very grateful to all of the people who support us around our conference.

[B]

Agreed, Agreed. It's a great representation of the powerful community that Sapicks has been building for a long time. And folks, we need to make it like the Olympics, two weeks long and then we'll have all the discussions we need, all the actions, all the follow up to do list and all the wonderful fun things to do. Markets, aquariums, get outdoors, two weeks. So that's a challenge. Claire. Okay, so all right, so you need.

[C]

A lot of energy and powerade to get through those two weeks. I reckon.

[B]

Maybe next year. Right? Maybe next year. You see your, your key takeaways from the Apex annual conference experience this year. Yeah.

[A]

I think, you know, just to double down on what Nicole said, I think during the curation process of bringing these stakeholders together on this panel, it was really a thoughtful process of how can we get everyone from along the value chain, the talent value chain, on the same stage and engaging in a meaningful conversation to drive toward an impactful solution.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I'm sure we've all been to conferences where it's just a mishmash of people on stage where there's not really a clear, you know, evident direction. So I'm really happy that we were able to bring stakeholders from industry, from academia, from governing and reporting agencies, like to drive towards this hypothesis that we originally had at the beginning of the year, which is, is there a talent gap? Right. And I think, you know, post conference, and I'm sure Nicole, Claire and a lot of the other, you know, attendees in our sessions were that it is evident there is a supply chain talent gap in South Africa. And, you know, happy to advance this discussion and see what we discovered later on.

[B]

Yes. And we're going to talk about talent next in just a second. So that's a good call out. But Claire, some of the words he used there, impactful. You know, these are folks that are gathered at Sapiks that are making true impact around global industry and of course across Africa. The connections, the meaningful connections. I mean, this is one manifestation of the connections we're making at events like Sapiks. And then one last thing he touched on, amongst other things, is all the diverse sectors and industries and people that you find and we got to really lean in. Diversity is a superpower indeed and it powers innovations every day. Claire, your thoughts? Let's get your comments on Yasine's key takeaways and then I want to get your own key takeaways from Sapiex. Claire.

[C]

Well, Yasine absolutely nailed it and, and talked about the gaps and the challenges. And I am now going to leap into my takeaway.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Which is post the conference, actually is the discussions that we've had with women in supply chain discussions. These discussions. Nicole and I had a meeting. The meetings we've had at the universities with SMEs that started at the conference. For me, the takeaway of the conference is to continue the conversations because as previously mentioned, there's not enough time. You've got to keep on going. We always say, okay, so what, thank you for being on the stage. So what? It's very important to translate that into actions and to use bodies like Sagia and Cepix and all the Others that we work with to to make sure that we are supporting industry in these important discussions.

[B]

Claire, that's a great call out and I would just to all of our audience members out there, I think keeping that so what between our ears especially as we make investments of time and resources and all the events out there that so what factor is an important one to choose to help us choose where to spend that precious finite resources. So Claire, excellent point and I tell you there's a handful of conferences like say picks that I think drives a lot of post event action and that is so good for industry. Okay, let's shift over to talent. We've got a lot of passion and expertise around talent in general and supply chain talent here on this addition of supply chain now. So let's dial it in on this vital topic, this critical topic in any industry, but certainly global supply chain where as Yasine mentioned, there are some gaps that we've got to bridge better build better bridges we must and time is of the essence. So Nicole, share with us some of the trends that your organization. Sagea. Is that how we say it?

[D]

Sagea, Sagea, Sagea, sagea. Any one of the two to your tomato.

[B]

Tomato. So what are some of the trends you are seeing especially across the supply chain sector in South Africa? Talent trends.

[D]

I'm going to focus on four key ones. Of course there's many more. But the first really positive change that we've seen is the growth in numbers from our member employers who recruit supply chain graduates. Those have doubled since 2023. We anticipated this growth but but we delighted to see that it's finally landing because this means they are now really serious about building pipelines and prioritizing early talent. The second one we've seen was quite a surprise because we run this research on an annual basis. For the first time in 21 years our data shows that supply chain vacancies in terms of young talent has overtaken audit, ict, legal and finance in terms of the number of unfilled graduate vacancies for 2025. So this clearly shows that there's a growing demand and a growing gap. Thirdly, which I don't think is unique to the supply chain industry, but we're definitely seeing a disconnect between what graduates bring and what employers need in 2025. So many roles combine technical skills with customer facing or UX elements. And we know with, with UX elements and those sort of things they, they are harder to teach quickly and they usually come with lots of experience. So that combination of mismatch we're seeing. And then finally, which I think again, I'm, I'm preaching to the converted that in terms of the emphasis on sustainability and the green economy, our members are looking for grads who can adopt this ethos and understand the importance of the of supply chain. And the problem is this is not inherently built into our traditional degree programs yet. So those are the four key things that we are seeing in the young talent supply chain space as of 2025.

[B]

Nicole. Man, we can spend that. That's a podcast per each of those four for sure. And I, I bet folks, if they go to your website, they can probably get some reporting and some additional thoughts on each of those four trends. Yasin, get your thoughts on those four. Four big topics. What stood out the most to you?

[A]

Yeah, I think similar, similar sentiments to that congregation of panelists. Right. I think it's evident that there is a misalignment between industry, what industry is expecting and what is actually being taught in the classroom. Right. And I think that Claire mentioned it before. There needs to be this active and intentional engagement between these academic institutions, industry and agencies like Sejia to drive towards solutions to align those academic offerings with what is really being requested and looked for within industry. And I think the sooner the better or else we're going to continue to see those numbers rise of unfilled vacancies in the supply chain sector.

[B]

That's right. And it will hinder our global industries growth and innovation and success. And you know, I had a very brilliant person, brilliant person, very. A lot smarter than me. Make a comment to me the other day, Nicole, on that last one. The importance of global supply chains, kind of one of the big themes there. And ensuring that students really kind of wrap their head around the big picture component. There's so many moving pieces upstream and downstream. I had a very brilliant person make this comment the other day that supply chain is such a need niche topics. And it stuck me in my, it stopped me in my tracks because I thought humanity has learned, especially since the pandemic, of just how important global supply chain is in everything in, in almost anything we touch consume every component of our daily life. And that really goes right to your number four key takeaway. We still have jobs to do and heavy lifting to do to make sure we connect what global supply chain does and all of its various ways with consumers and folks not in industry. Claire, those four things. So to recap those, see if I got those right. The good news with growth in numbers, Nicole, it's doubled since 2023. That's wonderful. But your second one, the vacancies in supply chain has overtook all the other sectors for the first time in 21 years. You talked about the gap in the skill sets. That's very common. A lot of other research we've seen and talked about and of course, the importance and the critical role that our industry serves and making sure we communicate that. Claire, of those four, your thoughts?

[C]

Absolutely agree with all of them. And I want to encourage people to be in supply chain management because I think they'll always find a job. And the jobs report that I read said that supply chain careers are expected to grow by 21% in 2030. So that mirrors what Nicole was saying. It's really a global demand for people who are able to manage risk and resilience in, in businesses. So that I, that really is talking to what Nicole is actually experiencing.

[B]

That's right. That's a good call out, Claire. You see, in one quick follow up, I got another question that we're going to talk about case study wise with Nicole and you in just a minute. But going to her third point, that gap in the skill sets. Now, it's been a long time since I built a resume. I'm, I'm going to tell you how long it's been. All right, you'll date me. But my hunch, and I'd love for you to weigh in, Yasin, and with your expertise, is as folks out there, this might be a learning moment for some of our folks in the job market right now as they identify roles that they really want and they really study what the organization's looking for. That's a terrific opportunity to really tailor that resume so it, it screams how they're a great fit for that opportunity. Would you agree with that? You seen?

[A]

No, completely. And I think it's one of the biggest issues that we encounter with our clients is that they're not tailoring their resume to specific roles. I mean, you could group specific. You could have a resume that's applicable to maybe four, five or six roles. But then you should change your resume. If it's changing industry or if it's changing position, it is ready specific to the ATS that's being requested from that company. So I completely agree. I mean, you should tailor your resume to that specific role. They're looking for different skills, they're looking for different competencies. They want you to highlight specific instances of impact in certain areas. I mean, if you're applying to multiple roles with just one, one resume, I think that's probably one of the biggest reasons why you're not receiving feedback, folks.

[B]

That is million dollar advice. Because so many folks out there, they build it and they blast it.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Build and blast and it's not tailored. And that's one of the reasons, whether they're human reviewers or technology reviewers, there's a lot of that they're skipping right over. Right. So don't do that. Follow Yasin's advice and, and hey, get his help too. All right, so Nicole, let's talk about this really interesting case study that researched from the banking industry. And I think this offers some key lessons learned and some ideas for building the supply chain workforce. I can't wait to hear what else you're going to share. Nicole, tell us.

[D]

Great. So here's the story of quantify your future or QIF as what it's locally known. And I want to do it in the analogy of supply chain, but only instead of goods, the product here is graduates or young talent. So on the one end we've got raw materials, we've got school learners, we've got university students, we've got young professions graduates with strong mathematical analytical abilities. And on the other end we've got demand banks, insurers, fintech, everybody across the board saying we need quantitative scientists, we need data scientists, we need skills that didn't exist five to ten years ago. But sadly in South Africa, the math pipeline is broken. Fewer learners are taking math, fewer are making it into university, into these highly sought after degrees, and even fewer are graduating into these roles. Isn't that just the classic bottleneck? So what did we do? We built QIF as an ecosystem. Employers gave us the demand signals and funding. This is what we need. And here are where the gaps are. Universities became the production hubs and students, most of them first gen, finally got visibility of careers that they've never even heard of or considered. So we ran virtual internships, school outreach programs, innovation showcases, future skills forums where we actually brought senior academia and senior leaders around the same table, all designed to connect the dots. And like a supply chain, we kept checking, we kept listening and we kept adjusting. And what was the result? Flow. So instead of the talent leaking out of the pipeline, we created pathways where students actually transitioned into these critical roles. And for me, that's the magic. So whether you're moving products or people, the same principle applies. Collaboration, visibility and a joined up system.

[B]

I love that Nicole. I love that Nicole. You see when you hear that case study and the critical elements of it that Nicole just walked us through, your thoughts?

[A]

I think the Important part, something that jumped out to me there is that it actually worked. I think that there was a constant pipeline and I think that there's constant output of students that were getting placed right. I think we, we like to plan, we like to kind of structure these programs and I think that it demonstrates significant impact and that it actually had a tangible result is words of wonder to me.

[B]

Yeah, well said. And I would just add to that the closed loop component of that case study, Nicole, because as we all know, Claire, Yassine and Nicole, little things, few things in life work as you publish it. They stay in static form. That closed loop where you're constantly getting feedback and then going back and improving various elements. And so it's more dynamic and it can, it can react dynamically to the, the ever moving market and the voice of the customer, so to speak. Critical, critical, critical. But I'm preaching to the converted and I stole that phrase from you, Nicole. I love it. I usually say preaching to the choir, but that sounds so much more eloquent, Nicole. So I'm gonna start using it. Claire, talk to, if you would, that case study.

[C]

Yes, absolutely. So just echoing your comments and sentiments, the fact that they, they achieved it and that they adapted it to suit the market and the needs and the needs of the employers, the needs of the employees, I mean, that is just such a phenomenal supply chain. It is, it's a perfect case study. An example of something that's working and also highlights the fact that supply chain is an absolutely everything in our lives.

[B]

Well said. It is so true in the outcome. To your point, Claire, and what all three of y' all really have spoken to. Outcomes, outcomes, outcomes. It goes back to the. So what if we're not producing the outcomes that we need to and moving the needle, what are we doing? We're waste. We're contributing more muda and wasting a whole bunch of people's time and amongst other things. And we all know time is in limited, limited supply. The short life we're in. Okay, good stuff. Yes. You know, I want to switch gears for a minute. Let's talk about another case study. I don't know when you get any sleep because that's. You stay on the move. You got a bunch of things going on. So you worked at Drexel University and their supply chain advisory board and I think a lot of your work was helping to connect or maybe address the disconnect between academia and industry, which is kind of one of the things we're kind of talking through here today. But tell us More, you see.

[A]

Yeah, of course. Happy to share. So, I mean, on the context of the Drexel Supply Chain Advisory Board, it was last year in December, was visiting New York to visit campus, but also was invited by Reuters. On the back of that 2024 nomination and recognition that I made the rounds in Philadelphia, connected with professors, with past colleagues. But I set up a session with the dean of the Lebow College of Business to propose this idea of establishing a supply chain Advisory Board. Detailed out the mission, how it would function, just lay out the entire plan and give him minimal lift on his side and let me direct this initiative. And so throughout the beginning of this year, I worked with bringing together industry stakeholders from the Philadelphia region, from the New York region, and as well as New Jersey to find C suite professionals that are committed to improving their pipeline of talent into their businesses. So I was able to bring together 16 industry stakeholders to, number one, align Drexel's academic offerings with what's really being requested and acquired from these employers. And then secondly, build closer relationships with these employers to improve the touch points that they have with our students. Right. Having speaker sessions in our lectures, spotlighting their companies on campus, just having more touch points with students at an earlier stage in their development. And I'm sure Nicole can attest to this, but I think in South Africa, students really only start their job search much later, and I'm sure Sajiya does have that information to back that up, but students really only start their job search and those relationships with companies maybe in their third or their fourth year.

[D]

Half of them, I've got the stats, so 50% of them do it in there and the rest do it prior. So you're spot on.

[A]

No, exactly. And I think, you know, there is evidence to suggest that the outcome of your, you know, like your applications or, you know, getting a job post graduation are much more successful if you start those relationships much earlier on. So this is a, you know, an active attempt, like we've mentioned in the conversation, to really bring industry closer to academia. And I mean, we had our last. We had our first kickoff session last week, Thursday with. With the advisory board members in person. And I mean, the outcomes have just been fantastic. We ran through our core curriculum, our core classes, our elective classes, and I mean, the feedback that we were able to gather just in an hour and a half's worth of a session has just been invaluable.

[D]

Amazing.

[B]

Well, all right.

[C]

So.

[B]

So lot, man, lots of things here. Number one, Claire, I love how a lot of his work and the gap they've identified and the outcomes driving work they're doing goes right back to Nicole's third key takeaway, the gap in the skill sets. It exists everywhere around the world. You know, blessed be the. I say, I was about to say blessed be the. The ties that bind, but this is not a good tie. We got to fix it. And then secondly, I think for, for our, for folks in the job market, whether you're in school or early or late career, whatever, I think two, two key things that you seen spoke to is we got to get, we got to plan much earlier. We can't wait till you're a senior in college, like I did, to start thinking about what we want to do. You can do that, but you're probably, probably going to have less opportunities. And number two, being more targeted. I tell you, I wish if I could tell myself a couple things, it'd be a long list. When I was in school, if I had really worked hard to identify what I wanted to do in this career and really at least had some initial thoughts as a freshman, that would have guided my experiences and what I chose to spend my time and, and classes I took, it have been so much more better and I would have jumped out of, you know, graduation probably where I wanted to be in that first couple years afterwards. So, Claire, whether it's any of that or that the case, actually, Nicole, let's get you to comment first and then we'll go to Claire on Yasine's case study.

[D]

I think I've got a prime example of that where I was studying a commerce degree to qualify as an industrial psychologist.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

And I had to do a compulsory internship during my master's year. And I came back after two weeks to my supervisor and lecturer and said I never want to see another psychometric test in front of me in my life. So had I done that in first year, I would have probably pivoted. So again, planning early and having a targeted approach. And that's why I say I enjoy the work that I do because I can start planting those seeds a lot earlier than what we had. And I think, Yasin, just to your point, absolutely amazing that you could get so many people face to face in a room. And that was the key for us as well. Obviously during COVID we tried to do it virtually getting the academics in C suite. And the minute in 2022 we got them all in a room. It made such a difference because now we were singing off the same hymn sheet. We were understanding what we want and we realized it Takes a village to build this industry and it's not an us and them, it's an us and us.

[B]

Well said, Nicole. And you know what you're speaking to, I believe is yasine getting those 16 industry leaders all together in person, which was fuel for a lot of the outcomes that they were able to establish. Claire, you were about to say hallelujah I think on what Yasine and Nicole.

[C]

Yes, I was. Your thoughts Just to commend Yasin on his amazing initiatives in his life that he's doing and happy to share any of this amazing work with the Sapiex community, of course, when you're ready. But so important to to loop industry in trying to do it at sapex to say what do you want? What do you want from, from our education program for example, which is obviously post grad but it's so important to just keep on talking. And I love the us and us.

[B]

I agree. And I gotta find a note I'm. I took from interview the other day. But Nicole, I think one other thing to call out. It's really important folks what to identify what we want to do. And like Nicole said, what we don't want to do, that's really important too. I interviewed Lachinta the other day and there was a great methodology she shared with me. And I'm gonna have to find I am because we are. I might be getting that wrong, but I am because we are. The power of community and the power of the connectedness and antea. It bears its fruit in a number of different ways, but especially when it comes to career development and finding opportunities, that's a very powerful force to lean into. And once you find those opportunities to help others find them. Okay, one more thing Yasine, before we we talk leadership because you've got a late breaking news update. What are you up to now?

[A]

Yeah, I'm really, really happy to share that I'm working with an institution back home in South Africa to replicate a supply chain advisory board that really again brings together industry stakeholders to align those academic offerings and to bring those employers closer with a real powerhouse in supply chain education. And just to double down on what Claire and Nicole have said, it's about establishing and it's about really refining a value proposition between both parties. I don't think you can expect to bring so many people to the table without some shared value and shared mission. So been very important and have been very intentional and clinical in how we approach employees to get them on board and to really believe in where we want to Take these, these initiatives. So, you know, happy to share with your community, you know, later down the line once we establish this advisory board, but excited to get started and super appreciative of of the support that we've had back home in South Africa thus far.

[B]

Love it. Look forward to getting updates on your continued all of yalls continued journeys. But very cool. Making the world and making global supply chain better for all and including helping all everybody find opportunities. So let's talk leadership because that's a really big, I think, responsibility in charge for successful leaders out there. What are you doing for others? When you think of innovative leadership examples across the continent of Africa and those examples that can teach other leaders in other places around the world, what comes to mind?

[D]

Nicole, I'm probably going to give my, give my online shopping habits away here. But for me, it's a local grocery delivery app. We call it the biggest biker gang in South Africa because they come zipping past you with your goods within 60 minutes, which went from pilot to a national supply chain, disrupting record time. What they managed to do is they cracked the last mile logistic in South Africa and forced the entire retail sector to rethink e commerce. And if that's not leapfrogging, then I don't know what is. And the other kicker for me is one of the recent World Economic Forum reports state that by 2050, half of the world's working age population will be African.

[B]

Wow.

[D]

So the, the resilience and the collaboration that we are doing here isn't just local, but it will be a playbook for all leaders across the world very soon.

[B]

Nicole, that is remarkable. Did you say about 2050?

[D]

Is that 2050? 250, yeah.

[B]

Wow. Okay. Good stuff. Nicole and I like that biker gang. We can learn from biker gangs out there. Yasine, your thoughts?

[A]

Yeah, I think just to emphasize what Nicole said there, I think I'm a firm believer that Africa is the future. I think Africa is positioned to be a leader in the world when it comes to talent and youth talent. But a previous guest that you had on supply chain now, Professor Sivon Kile. I'm an advocate for entrepreneurship. You know, I'm fortunate that my parents ran their own business growing up and you know, running my own business now, I think the soft skills that you develop in entrepreneurship, right? Communication, collaboration, teamwork, being able to function under pressure, presentation skills, those are all soft skills that I implore our clients at Luna to really demonstrate on their document. Because like Nicole, I'm sure can back up with Saji's information is that is what employers are looking for. You can teach hard skills, you can teach technical skills, but having those learned soft skills from, you know, activities like entrepreneurship that Professor S K is really advocating for within her curriculum and her classes, you know, is inspiring to me and I wish her well and continue, continue her work.

[B]

She's brilliant and it was great to sit down with her at Sapicks in Cape Town. It's a great call out. You've seen Claire, we need another hour or two in this conversation here, I think, but your thoughts on leadership examples.

[C]

I'm keeping a little bit sort of local, but the sapfix board members for me have shown such amazing leadership skills not only in their own work, such as Tato at Maersk and MJ at Lego and Johnson Johnson and Karen Pretorius was their own company. But Hamahelo Mapani is an ex Sapics board member and he is the chairman of the Pan African Supply Chain Council. I'm a Pan Africanist, having been born in Zimbabwe and married to a Zambian. So I love discussions that go further than the South African borders. He's done great work, but there are so many, and to Nicole's point and to your point, we talked about this in our Young Professional conference earlier in the year, Ubuntu, meaning I am. Because you are.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

It means it talks to supply chains. If I'm not doing well in my department, you can't be doing well in your department. So let's all just collaborate and make sure we are one thing and one flow. And I went off track there a little bit, Scott, as usual. Sorry, but that's enough from me.

[B]

Hey, I didn't know that about your background, Claire. And it's such a great comment, the regional element of your comment, you know, I think all too often and. Well, I'll ask y', all, I'll ask each of y', all, all three of you. When you say Africa, do a lot of the folks from in other parts of the world think of like just one big continent and not all the communities and countries and, and different cultures? Do you all find that in common?

[D]

I think it's same like the U. S. People say, are you going to the U? Okay, which state are you? Like, what are you going to do? It's a similar, similar analogy, Scott.

[B]

That's a great point because California and South Carolina are very different. Was that clear?

[C]

When somebody says, I'm going to Atlanta, I say, oh, do you know Scott Luton?

[B]

And they all say, no, no, I'll tell You Atlanta's growing left and right. I'll tell you what, we can see it in the traffic. All right, so Claire and Nicole and Yasine, I really, really enjoyed Yalls perspective here today. It's very actionable conversation. It really is. And I just want to pick one, pick on one more thing that Yasine said there that I bet we can all agree on is the power of storytelling. I think we've talked a lot to the job seekers that maybe tuned in our audience and I love that. I wish I'd heard a lot of this perspective back in my day when I was in the market. But folks, really invest in your ability to tell your own story and tell the various chapters in your journey. Because I can't remember the data. There's all kinds of data. But if you're able to convey whatever you're trying to achieve and communicate in story form, the ability to actually successfully communicate that and it influence minds and decisions goes dramatically off the charts. So think about how you tell stories. So, Claire, as we start to wrap, we're gonna make sure folks know how to connect with everybody. But I got two questions for you, Claire. Number one, what's the next big event coming up at Sapicks? And what was one of your favorite things you heard here from Nicole and Yasine?

[C]

Let me start with your second question. I think to your point about people telling their own stories because companies are looking beyond the technical skills. We know that we have great universities that can offer that. But people are looking for a lot more soft skills, emotional intelligence. And you have to find a way and Yasine can help you with that into being able to, to be able to convey that in your CV and in your interviews. And people are looking, they're looking for agile people, agile professionals to, to adapt to the various supply chain changes. So yes, Sapics, yes, please. So sapics is 60 next year. Very exciting. We sell big celebrations and so we've got a lot of events happening to celebrate the fact that we have been which we would want supply chains to have strong longevity and good sustainability. So that's really kind of our theme for 2026. And we have lots of different events which our sapphire community will hear about, such as golf days and the Johannesburg event, et cetera. We continue with our work with young professionals, with women and young executives. And our annual conference, the 48th conference celebrating our 60th year will be in July 2026 in Cape Town.

[B]

Outstanding July.

[C]

Thank you for letting you bet. Pushed out a month.

[B]

Claire. I love it. And that I was definitely going to call that out because I think it's been in June for quite some time. I think the July move is a great move. It's going to really free up, I think, a lot of calendars. So hopefully we'll see a lot more folks celebrating Sapik's 60th anniversary next year. That is remarkable. I'm gonna. I'm gonna save Yalls eardrums and not sing Happy Birthday. So let' what a great conversation. Really enjoyed it today. Nicole Peterson, program manager with the South African Graduate Employers Association. I think, folks, you can learn more at. Check me if I'm right here. Nicole sejia.org za I get that right?

[D]

Absolutely. And on LinkedIn, of course, we're quite active there in terms of our sharing.

[B]

Outstanding. And that's the best way to reach you via either the website or LinkedIn.

[D]

LinkedIn, absolutely. Yes.

[B]

Okay. Outstanding. Nicole, great to meet you here today. Really enjoyed your perspective. Yasin Ahmed, founder and CEO with Luna and a whole bunch more stuff. Yasin, how can folks connect with you?

[A]

Yeah, they can. They can find me on LinkedIn or they can check out our website, which is luna-resume.com it's just that easy.

[B]

Really good. It's amazing what you're doing across the globe, helping folks, really both of you, all you're seeing Nicole and you, Claire, helping folks find opportunities, get better at what they do and just succeed in this journey. So love it. Claire Fincham with Sapiex. Great to see you again. Love this conversation here today. How can folks track you down?

[C]

Thank you, Scott. SapIex.org ZA and on LinkedIn and just take this opportunity to thank you and your team for hosting this and giving Nicole and Yasine a platform to showcase their amazing work. We're grateful for the partnership. Thank you.

[B]

You bet. Amazing is the right word. It really is. I've got a thousand ideas after the last hour with all three of y'. All. But to our audience, hey, hopefully you enjoyed this conversation as much as I have. I've had a blast here, learning a lot from our incredible panel. But you got homework. Yes. Like it's back in college or grade school. Your challenge is to take one thing from what you heard here from Yasine, Nicole or Claire. Just one thing. There's lots more. Take one thing, put it into action, share it with your team. We all know by now, certainly by now, it's all about deeds, not words. What are you doing? How are you addressing the so what question? Right. All of that's how we continue to transform global business and provide opportunities for all. So on behalf of the whole team here at Supply Chain Now, Scott Luten, challenging you do good, get forward, be the change that's needed. And we'll see you next time right back here on Supply Chain Now. Thanks for buying. Join the Supply Chain now community. For more supply chain perspectives, news and innovation, check out supply chain now.com subscribe to Supply Chain now on YouTube and follow and listen to Supply Chain now wherever you get your podcasts.