Career in Transportation Management Can Take You Places!

Transportation Management covers the physical and administrative aspects related to movement of goods within or outside a country, by rail, air or road transport. Along with knowledge of transport and distribution industries, this programme offers academic and management skills to handle the logistical operation of commercial and passenger vehicles, air and rail transportation as well as supply and distribution of all goods.

With India's huge geographical size and the need to transport goods, there is good potential for jobs in this field. Professionals are mostly employed by distribution divisions of manufacturers, bus, rail and airline companies, airport and shipping authorities, shipping lines, road freight hauliers, local and central government and transport consultants.

Those with a degree in transportation can also become regional transport officers, motor vehicle inspectors, assistant regional transport officers, or deputy transport commissioners. Opportunities also exist in various departments of the Port Trusts, Indian Railways and various road transport organisations.

Most programmes in transportation management are specialised, offered after graduation. The options include:

• Three-year BBA programme and a two-year MBA in logistics and supply chain management which covers logistics and transportation, at the Institute of Logistics and Aviation Management, New Delhi
• Two-year full-time master's in transport and logistics management under public systems management, at the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Kolkata
• Postgraduate diploma in transport management, at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
• Short courses in road transport administration and traffic management, at the Central Institute of Road Transport, Pune

However, if you are looking for a career in this sector, I would suggest that you take up a BCom or BBA programme first and then consider specialising in a field such as transportation management.

Author: Usha Albuquerque (HT Horizons)

Date: 25th April 2011