Luxembourgish Young Professionals: Digital Natives in Berlin
Nothing goes without it: Logistics not only ensures that the yogurt is on the table while you want to have your breakfast in the morning but it is way more than that. It is they key sector of globalization managing just-in-time or even just-in-sequence of global trade flows. Luxembourg is moving towards a multi-industry economy with one of its core focus on logistics. Indeed the current Luxembourgish government was hardly pushing investments in this high potential market. It was underestimated!
Hence, things are changing and looking promising for various whys and wherefores. 10 good reasons why Luxembourg is a country full of potential can be even read here on the homepage. We, three Young Professionals or even better the digital natives working within the field of logistics in different branches like transport, automotive and consulting took the distance to attend the Supply Chain Conference in Berlin, Germany organised by the German Logistics Association (BVL). While being back in the daily working life and reviewing on the three days we don’t want to miss out to share our impressions. We are still overwhelmed by the ambience at the event and the amount of inspirational keynotes, fresh ideas and innovations we faced.
During the opening Prof. Dr. Klinkner, chairman of the BVL, appealed, “Anything that can be digitized, will be digitized” and when “driving the change” we can’t turn a blind eye to face the digital transformation in logistics and supply chain. The reason is simple: every single move that logisticians make to form and drive future-oriented and ecological processes deals with the use of innovative IT-services, the development of digital processes or digital innovations coming along with new business models and require a turnaround in the way of thinking in all of us. Only 4% of all companies in Germany surveyed by Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Wolfgang Kersten and team, state to think that they can call themselves “digitized”. This also reflects that the utmost parts in Germany are still described as deficient. Mr G. Oettinger, German politician and European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society in the European Commission mentioned in one of its key notes: “4G is an evolution but 5G would be a revolution!” Fiberglass network connection therefore is to be seen as a standard to compete with the operations depending more and more on real-time data which faces the challenge of the continuously increasing of of data transferred.
With the three of us we are in agreement that keynotes attended motivated on the power, ideas and different way of thinking that young professionals bring to operations which help drive the fast change while everybody shall be involved in order to the digital change while everybody needs to be involved regardless the age. The logistics sector is already moving and inflexible thinking has to be dropped. It is required to become proactive in the digitization shift creating space for the valuable next generation!
Networking for a long-term relationship
We want to embrace the challenge of this opportunity to regroup young talents to set the structure for a long-term relationship between members of the Cluster for Logistics and their youthful teams. The idea of the networking platform is followed by the mission to gather potential individuals below the age of 31 within the supply chain and logistics sector. In order to generate an environment of common interests where the community can exchange encountered or foreseen trends or projects, talk about experiences or even new ideas what results in the career starters growth and to become an even greater value for the company. It is also to inspire young graduates who are still in doubt to enter this field of high potential or may also be a possibility for companies to reach out and get in touch with the digital natives working in different branches. To achieve the vision to establish a fully supported linkage between young professionals and the industry we are going to proactively get in touch with individuals that are interested and have the aspiration to drive the predictable change that is we not only encounter demographically but others as well.
This maybe all sounds very promising but it lets a legitimate question arise: how are they going to do this? One thing can be said, evening events and visits to the best and most exciting logistics companies in the country are stick in our heads to be followed in the near future. Our concept for 2017 will be presented at the Logistics Autumn Conference on the 2nd of December at Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg City. Be welcomed and join interesting speeches and our official kick off for the Young Logistics Professionals roadmap.
We hope that we can reach out to companies, workers and everybody that wants to help and support building up new relationships for Luxembourg’s new Young Professional Network for Logistics. Do not hesitate to get in contact with us while using the contact option here on the homepage. We are looking forward to meet great people since we are the generation that grew up within the digital revolution and are able to push the change!
