Warehouse and distribution management deals with the logistics of the flow of goods and services from suppliers to consumers. This sector is an integral part of the supply chain industry – one of Canada's largest employers – with close to a million people employed in occupations directly related to it. The field is expected to grow in the future, offering tens of thousands of new positions every year steadily.
In this program, you'll learn about procurement, storage, transportation, and distribution. You will also develop a variety of skills, including supply and demand estimation and forecasting, operations planning, financial planning, negotiation, and IT.
Upon graduation, you will enter the employment market with the necessary aptitude and hands-on experience to succeed in the field.
Admission Requirements
High school graduation or equivalent* OR mature student status**.
*From an English language teaching institution.
**Must be 19 years of age upon starting classes, and pass the college’s English admissions test.
This program has been approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training.
Warehouse supervisor
Fulfillment supervisor/co-ordinator
Operations manager
Area manager
Depot manager
Flow lead
Team lead
Dispatch logistician
Flight crew scheduling supervisor
Logistics supervisor - transportation
Freight forwarding logistician
Inventory control supervisor
Production clerks supervisor
Receiving supervisor
Head dispatcher
Ramp services supervisor
Supply chain co-ordinator
Our grads discuss what made their experience at Vancouver Career College outstanding.
This field placement will prepare students for their transition to the workforce. The practicum will be completed in a warehouse or distribution centre environment working under the supervision of experienced personnel. Students are provided with a description of duties he/she will perform on the job. At the end of the placement, the practicum host will provide an evaluation on the student and the student will provide the college with an evaluation on the placement.
This course builds on the skills learned in the Student Success Strategies course or its equivalent. It provides information on how to use the communication skills learned in order to make a successful presentation to a prospective employer. Students also learn how to uncover the hidden job market and identifyemployment opportunities. Self-assessment during this course allows students to identify their personal skills that are transferable to the work place and to describe these skills to a prospective employer. Students may be videotaped during a mock interview and will participate in the analysis of their performance in the “interview”.
This course provides an overview of a supply chain from raw materials to consumer purchase. The course examines the roles of members in the supply chain and ways to improve efficiency as well as how to identify and mitigate risk in the SC. The course also helps students understand how supply chain management has matured from a business cost centre to a strategic initiative.
This course provides an overview of the value, methods and tradeoffs of the transportation function within a supply chain. It then focuses on understanding the role of the freight forwarder, transportation geography, and how terms of trade are used between buyer and seller in a contract of sales of goods with a focus on international trade. This will include international payments, commercial documentation, cargo security and dangerous goods, plus insurance.
This course provides an introduction to the purposes and types of packaging and equipment used to protect and convey goods through the supply chain. The course examines the basic uses, legal requirements, benefits and drawbacks of different options available to help students make better decisions to maximize asset protection and mobility while minimizing cost.
This course will provide a broad introduction to the basics of materials management, manufacturing planning and control systems, inventory control, physical distribution and information flow among operational functions within the supply chain. It builds understanding of the tactical approach to inventory control that flows from the strategic approach in Demand Planning and Inventory Management.
This course will provide a broad introduction to the basics of demand planning, forecasting supply requirements and related scheduling. It will prepare the student for a better understanding of the flow of information and materials.
This course will provide students with a fundamental understanding of the nature of contracts. Profitability of a joint business venture is based upon strategic partnerships with key suppliers to shorten lead times and reduce bottlenecks within the supply chain. Focus will be on what constitutes a contract, types of supplier relationships, and why partnerships fail.
This course will introduce Purchasing as a business discipline with a focus on the Total Cost of Ownership for products and services, and Supplier Relationship Management. Topics include the Purchasing Cycle, Centralized vs. Decentralized purchasing, the preparation of documents for RFI and RFP processes, as well as the various costs involved in purchase decisions (acquisition, ownership, obsolescence, etc.). Students will develop an understanding of supply management and commodity strategy, supplier qualification, selection and management, and strategic cost management.
This course teaches the understanding of warehousing and distribution operations with a focus on capacity management, planning, scheduling and the use of Material Requirements Planning (MRP). The concepts and practical implementations of quality control are discussed, including the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM).
This course introduces the concept of leadership in business operations with an emphasis on team leadership in a warehousing and distribution environment. Students will learn common theories about leadership, leadership tasks, responsibilities and the skills required to be a successful team leader. The role and importance of teamwork and team management in warehousing and distribution will be closely examined.
Negotiations and supplier management are an integral part of conducting business globally. It is essential to understand the negotiation process, how to become an effective negotiator and the roles within a negotiation. The course will cover styles of negotiations, sources of power, use of emotion, and logic.
This course provides an introduction to the types of Information systems used by professionals in the daily business of warehouse and distribution management. The course examines the types of systems used for planning and execution functions in supply chain, including enterprise resource planning systems, and best-in-breed logistics and automation systems for transportation, warehouse, and customer relationship management.
This course presents an introductory look at the Microsoft Office 2016 productivity applications Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access, and the Windows environment in which they run. It covers the fundamentals of organizing files and folders, of drafting business documents, of creating presentations, of reporting data in spreadsheets, and of querying data in relational databases. This course relies entirely on practical hands-on activities that allow you to learn the concepts by practicing them on a regular basis and obtaining feedback immediately.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and study techniques to help foster effective learning and a positive educational experience. This course explores many different theories on learning and studying and how these theories can be applied to each student’s individual studying methods in order to develop a method that is both effective and efficient. Effective study habits and productive note-taking are key topics in this course, as well as the importance of values and goals. Through active participation in learner-centred activities, students will explore and practice strategies for setting personal goals, prioritizing tasks, managing time, and managing the stress that arises in school or work situations. This course will also equip students with a sound understanding of matters related to finance, credit, and debt and the critical implications they have on our lives. Students taking this course will complete the Enriched Academy program, which provides comprehensive coverage of financial and money management skills that will allow them to better save, budget, and manage their money and financial situations.