South Africa’s supply chain sector is vital to the country’s economy but faces a skills gap that is threatening growth, says supply chain industry body SAPICS.

Recognising the imperative to address this, the organisation has lined up a presentations, panel discussions and initiatives aimed at supporting and growing a pipeline of young supply chain talent at the upcoming SAPICS Conference in Cape Town. This annual event, which is now in its 47th year, is Africa’s leading learning, knowledge sharing and networking event for the supply chain profession.

Experts participating in an important panel discussion this year will explore strategies to equip and empower young professionals - from mentorship and industry partnerships to skills development initiatives. Success stories will be shared and actionable steps for organisations outlined. This important session will examine how collaboration between academia, government and the private sector can build a resilient, future-ready workforce, SAPICS states. The panel discussion will be facilitated by Yaseen Ahmid, CEO and founder of the Circular Economy Institute of Africa in South Africa. He will be joined by panellists Prof. PJ Kilbourn, associate professor and senior deputy head of the University of Johannesburg’s Transport and Supply Chain Management Department, Asekhona Ngeno, the corporate supply chain director at Procter and Gamble, Azel van der Walt, the IMEA head of Logistics at Maersk, and Nicole Petersen, the programme manager for the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA).

How AI and gamification are reinventing supply chain learning is the topic of a 2025 SAPICS Conference presentation by France-based Laurent Vigouroux, a supply chain expert, b2wise brand ambassador and winner of the renowned French award "King of Supply Chain". According to Vigouroux, traditional supply chain training often struggles to engage participants and drive real-world results. Gamification and AI are transforming the learning experience, with serious games like DDBrix simplifying complex concepts, fostering collaboration and boosting retention. Attendees will learn how AI personalises training, identifies skill gaps and enhances decision-making.  

Missing skills can slow down or stop the flow in a supply chain, turning into a bottleneck, stock outs and delivery delays. A 2025 SAPICS Conference presentation by leading international supply chain management expert and author Caroline Mondon will introduce attendees to the Demand Driven Skills Model (DDSM). It allows organisations to locate and size skill buffers in order to protect the operational flow in a supply chain.

This year, SAPICS has partnered with sponsors Industrial Logistics Systems (ILS) and Bertling to enable 20 students from institutions including Stellenbosch University and the University of South Africa (UNISA) to attend the conference. This forms part of the SAPICS youth development programme, which aims to upskill and empower young graduates and professionals for career success in the important and dynamic supply chain profession, address the skills gap in the supply chain field and fight the country’s high youth unemployment rate.