The Penn State Smeal College of Business is one of only two schools from which Burlington Stores, a national off-price retailer headquartered in New Jersey, actively recruits for its Supply Chain Leader Development Program. This leadership program for supply chain graduates is an 18-month program that introduces new graduates to the various roles and responsibilities of leadership at the company.
“We find that students from Penn State are able to hit the ground running in the supply chain area and also have a broad foundational understanding of business,” said Donna Norton, talent acquisition manager for college recruitment. “We’re proud to have such a robust partnership with the Penn State community,” said Norton. “Through the center, we look for opportunities to reap the benefits of the latest faculty research.”In addition to its recruitment efforts, Burlington Stores is also a corporate sponsor of the Center for Supply Chain Research, a Smeal research center dedicated to bridging academia and industry to improve the theory and practice of supply chain.
Supply chain is a critical part of Burlington Stores’ business. The company’s off-price model adds an added sense of urgency to their business. Unlike more conventional businesses that buy merchandise many months out, off-price retailers buy in-season merchandise, so quick turnaround time to the stores is critical.
The leadership development program provides participants with three six-month rotations in various parts of the organization. At the end of the program, participants are assigned a leadership position in Burlington Stores’ supply chain organization. Burlington Stores provides leadership program participants some flexibility, allowing them to tailor the program to their skills and interests.
Burlington Stores Supply Chain Leader Development Program is an 18-month program comprised of 10 weeks of training and three six-month rotations across the supply chain organization. The company operates under the off-price retail model, offering customers with everyday value, up to 65 percent off department store prices every
Smeal’s No. 1 supply chain program offers a comprehensive suite of supply chain education, beginning at the undergraduate level with a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain and Information Systems. In conjunction with Penn State’s World Campus, students can earn a Master of Professional Studies in Supply Chain Management. The Penn State Smeal MBA Program offers a concentration in supply chain management, and the college also offers aPh.D. in supply chain. Smeal’s Center for Supply Chain Research and Penn State Executive Programs offer certificate programs in supply chain management and supply chain leadership.