Earlier this year, RiseNow CEO Matt Stewart was quoted in Forbes: “You can work with the best services firm ever: they’ll help you put in the right tech, the right processes, and everything can be configured and implemented correctly, with full executive buy-in. But then the talent who ran the project gets a promotion, or leaves for more money elsewhere. The consulting team who built everything for you runs off to their next project, and the slow degradation of process, adoption, and usability begins. After a few years, the original vision is gone, everyone begins to resent the system, and the vicious cycle starts again.”
It’s time to break the cycle.
People drive change
Let’s face it: procurement and supply chain are in the midst of a massive evolutionary shift. The global market for procurement and supply chain software is anticipated to grow to $31B by 2026, driven by the need for advanced analytics, automation, and quick decision-making capabilities.
Tech can take a lot of the burden, but as Stewart points out, “the tech won't stand on its own to get businesses the outcomes they need. It needs people.”
So let’s talk about people - and how our society supposedly prepares our next-gen workforce to effectively deploy. While traditional college programs produce graduates with theoretical knowledge, they often lack the specific, practical skills needed to make an immediate impact in their first “real job” post-school. The gap between education and application makes it difficult for companies to find talent ready to contribute from day one, and for graduates to make themselves appealing to a potential employer.
Enter RiseTalent, a unique apprenticeship program that provides relevant training and experience while new graduates are already on the job, being paid a full-time salary with benefits, bridging the gap between school and the real world.
"As new procurement and supply chain management platforms disrupt ERP, allowing for more workflow to be done on the platform, the skills and experience gaps are widening, complicating career launch and increasing SCM talent shortages,” said Ryan Craig, Managing Director at Achieve Partners and author of Apprentice Nation: How the “Earn and Learn” Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America. “New apprenticeship pathways are desperately needed, particularly in strategic sectors like supply chain. That’s why we’re delighted to announce the launch of RiseTalent, the first apprenticeship program for procurement and supply chain.”
At RiseNow, we believe in the power of apprenticeships to shape a new generation of skilled professionals in procurement and supply chain. This model provides benefits not only to a hungry workforce, but to our clients. By investing in apprentices, RiseNow ensures a consistent pipeline of new consultants who are well-versed in client needs, whether in managed services or skilled system administration. This approach results in reduced onboarding time, faster project execution, and employees who are highly aligned with the company’s processes and goals.
The bigger picture
Investing in apprenticeships isn’t just about developing a workforce that can meet today’s procurement and supply chain needs. As more companies buy in to apprenticeships and hiring apprentices, they’ll see increased employee engagement, enhanced loyalty, and reduced turnover. Apprenticeships also foster diversity within the workforce by offering non-traditional pathways to high-demand roles.
By creating meaningful, structured training opportunities within managed services, companies like RiseNow are paving the way for a skilled, capable, and future-ready procurement and supply chain workforce. With the right investment in people and training, we can address talent gaps, strengthen our industries, and ensure that the U.S. remains competitive on the global stage.
Don’t fall into the procurement and supply chain talent gap. If you’re not thinking about talent development now, you’ll be playing catch-up while your competitors are thriving with a skilled, future-ready workforce.
Join RiseTalent and lead the charge with us in transforming procurement and supply chain talent.
