Duke Energy Graduate Assistantship sets MBA student on supply chain career path
Feb. 19, 2007 - The Duke Energy Graduate Assistantship is offered every fall to a full-time MBA student at the College of Management at North Carolina State University. The assistantship was conceived in 2004 to attract talented individuals to Duke Energy and to familiarize MBA students with careers in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM). Corporate assistantships such as this provide a financial incentive for talented individuals to consider careers with Duke Energy and serve to demonstrate the importance of supply chain management issues within the corporate community.
Joe Reuss, the 2006/07 Duke Energy Graduate Assistantship recipient, did not know much about supply chain management when he entered the MBA program at NC State University's College of Management. Once he got involved with the program, though, he got excited about the pioneering work that is going on in the supply chain management field and decided that this was the field he wanted to pursue.
The following is an interview conducted by the college's Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC) with Reuss as he described his project work with Duke Energy.
Q. What were the projects? Who did you work with?
A. My first project was completed during the spring semester of my first year. I worked with Duke Energy’s Supplier Diversity & Sustainability group. The project consisted of compiling research in order to benchmark the online capabilities of the energy industry concerning supplier diversity and contractor safety. The purpose of this research was to give Duke Energy a good baseline for where they stand in regard to their peers.
The second project focused on Delegation of Authority (DOA) protocol at large companies. This project was particularly exciting because I had the opportunity to survey executives at other SCRC member companies in order to learn about their DOA processes. I also compiled research through secondary sources and shared all this information with Duke Energy.
My third project involved reviewing the system of performance metrics used in Duke Energy’s supply chain organization. I performed secondary research to learn about best practices concerning supply chain metrics which Duke Energy might want to integrate with their reporting systems. My report for this project was well received by the project team. I was also asked to summarize my findings and recommendations to share with the chief procurement officer.
Q. How was the assistantship structured?
A. My schedule for the assistantship was flexible, so I was able to keep up with all of my coursework while making progress on my Duke Energy projects. I have a weekly meeting with Steve Edwards, SCRC co-director and my general supervisor. I update him on my progress and we plan the next steps.
Sheri Straw, general manager of supply chain operations at Duke, was my main contact at the company. We spoke once or twice a week or whenever any questions came up. To kick off a new project, I would travel from campus in Raleigh down to Charlotte and spend a half day attending meetings. After a thorough discussion of my findings from the project I had been working on, the new project was introduced. I would meet the new stakeholders and receive a thorough explanation of the next project, learn what my role would be, and what the timeline was.
Q. What did you learn about field of supply chain management (SCM) through the contacts and projects?
A. Through my projects I have been able to apply classroom concepts to some real world problems. In my classes, I hear a lot about how important it is to have a well-integrated and strategic supply chain. This assistantship has provided me the opportunity to see an example of a world class supply chain in operation at Duke Energy.
Q. What value was there in this experience for your career and professional advancement?
A. The exposure to the field of supply chain management and to so many professionals in the field has been invaluable. I have worked first hand with numerous general managers and had contact with other employees at Duke Energy as well as at other SCRC member companies. I started my MBA program straight from my undergraduate program, and the real world experience I have gotten as a student has surpassed that of many of my friends who have been working full time.
- Sandy Newville, SCRC communications staff -