For National Career Development Month, CSCR is catching up with recent Penn State Supply Chain and Information Systems (SCIS) alumni and exploring their journey from student to full-time professional. Learn more about Ben Delaney, a 2022 SCIS graduate, and his experiences as a supply chain young processional.
Tell us about yourself!
I am an Oracle Cloud Supply Chain Consultant at an IT services and consulting company, AXIA Consulting. I graduated from Penn State in 2022 with a major in SCIS and a minor in MIS. I have lived in Philadelphia, Dallas and Pittsburgh and currently live in downtown Pittsburgh.
What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
I began my career in supply chain at IBM, specializing in demand planning and inventory management. Later, I transitioned to AXIA, where I could merge my supply chain background with my interest in technology. I started as a junior analyst but have advanced based on my work on several ERP implementation projects. I am currently a functional lead on an international Oracle Cloud implementation project. I am working on my APICS CSCP certification in my spare time, hoping to have that completed before year-end.
How do you plan to continue your professional growth?
A big goal of mine is to go back to school and get my master’s in supply chain management or potentially an MBA. That is a bridge that I will cross when the right time comes. In the near future, I plan to further my professional development by pursuing additional certifications, including potentially a Lean Six Sigma certification.
What was the biggest success/challenge you faced going from college to your job?
My biggest success was establishing and growing my network, both socially and professionally – forcing myself outside my comfort zone. All of my hobbies and extracurricular activities are things that I have discovered since college. From a professional perspective, having great leadership and coworkers who take an interest in me and are committed to my learning makes me enjoy coming to work every day. In terms of challenges, although working remotely has its advantages, it can also be hard. After a long day, there is nothing worse than realizing I’ve taken a pathetic number of steps and spent over 90% of my day confined within four walls. It is a major change from walking all around campus to my classes, especially the daily hike up Shortlidge Road leading to Smeal!
What is the most important risk you’ve taken and why?
Not even a year after graduating, I switched my job and location. Restarting after less than a year was extremely difficult. I remember feeling anxious about making a career change so early on and how that might look, but I decided to start a new chapter anyway. I am very grateful for my current situation with Axia and am happy that I took that leap.
What do you feel you took from Penn State to your current role?
The most important lesson I have taken away from Penn State is the importance of seeking out new opportunities for growth and development. Being at such a large university, it is your responsibility to carve your own path and pursue opportunities that push and excite you.
What is your dream job if you had no limitations?
That’s easy – something similar to Anthony Bourdain’s job on Parts Unknown. Being able to travel, meet people and eat food all over the world without a worry would be amazing. For now, the occasional travel to the client site will have to do.