The aviation industry is at the precipice of a major pilot shortage globally. Some data analysts predict that there will be a shortfall of almost 80,000 by 2032, with the US Air Force currently offering bonuses of up to $600,000 to retain pilots and their service. Middle Tennessee State University is doing much address that problem. In this new episode of Supply Chain Now, as a part of the NOW Generation series, we sit down with former UPS executive Tandreia Bellamy and her son, Anthony, the latter being a senior on MTSU’s highly regarded Aerospace Professional Pilot program. Tapping into the school’s impressive fleet of 47 aircraft, Anthony shares incredible insight into the life of a trainee pilot. He recounts the details of a solo cross-country training flight, communicating with traffic control and assessing which runway to land on. “The approach coming in, it was over the water and it was around sunset time, so it was beautiful,” he recalls. Tune in to hear Anthony’s story – the influence of his parents, amazing insights into his training, his overwhelming passion for the field, and plans for the future.

Rewind the clock to the turn of the century and the technological landscape within warehousing and logistics was a lot less crowded. Today, companies are often faced with an overwhelming choice of solutions, making it more difficult than ever to determine the right tech stack to invest in. It is against this backdrop that Andy Williams and Steve Osburn join the Supply Chain Now podcast, the pair holding vast experience in the field of logistics. As Executive Vice President of Sales for warehouse robotics firm Exotec, Williams draws on two decades of knowledge gained from working in international supply chains and logistics technology. Osburn, meanwhile, brings 25 years of all-round supply chain experience to his role as Managing Director of Accenture’s system automation division. Both experts discuss how their current positions are all about providing answers to complex problems. For Williams, this involves sitting down with organizations and seeing how Exotec can integrate various robotics and technological solutions, including those from third parties, into their warehousing setups. Osburn also enjoys the challenge of negotiating unique logistics scenarios, helping clients take ideas from concept through to implementation. Discussions also center around the impact of the pandemic on retail and warehousing, how…