Engineering Solutions - Online master’s student accelerates his career through MSGSCM program

Jonathan Cook, who was recently promoted to principal multi-disciplined engineer at Raytheon Technologies, is exploring new horizons as a student in the Online MS in Global Supply Chain Management (MSGSCM) program at the Krannert Graduate School of Management.

Cook, who earned a BS in Chemical Engineering and a MS in Materials Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, first fed his interest in the field with a MicroMasters certification from MIT. “I wanted to beef up my understanding of manufacturing because the company I worked for at the time was headed in that direction,” he says.

Cook’s focus on supply chain management in a manufacturing environment carried over to his position at Raytheon. “I’m using employer support to finish the degree and hopefully move more into the business side of the company,” he says.

Cook considered several other schools to further his education, but chose Purdue based on the program’s flexibility and standing. “I need to complete the degree at a slower pace because I work full-time, which along with the school’s reputation made it the best choice,” he says.

Although he takes courses remotely, Cook is far from alone. “I still have touch points with other people in the program and with the professors, which has been very helpful,” he says. “One of the aspects that I really like is getting to know other students through group assignments. Everyone’s background is diverse, but I’m able to develop relationships with classmates from across the country.”

Negotiations has been among his favorite courses so far. “For an engineer who is more of a numbers person than a people person, negotiation is not an inherent skill,” Cook says. “The professor did a great job of facilitating conversations and responding to student queries and questions, which helped me gain new skills and perspectives.”

Given his technical background, Cook has especially appreciated learning about broader business principles, as well as developing his “soft skills” in communication, HR and other areas.

“It's a great program with a strong balance of core instruction and a broad range of electives,” he says. “Part of the education is getting outside of your own organization and seeing what's going on in other companies, then bringing that back to your own work and applying it to what you’re doing.”

One example came in Project Management, the first course that Cook took in the program.

“Part of the course was putting in cost information and building it into your project,” he says. “I immediately started doing that at work and I still use it to this day. That's something very concrete that I took from the program to help me perform better.”

Cook also suggests that prospective students prepare for the fast pace of the program. “It’s gone by very quickly,” he says. “The program has been a real accelerator for my career goals.”

By Eric Nelson