Space blocker

[RolloTony Brown Town]

A little background:

I was a pt supervisor for 5 years in a 40k hub. I got a chance to drive and I loved it, but I opted to stay in management. I do not have a degree. I wanted to be a full time supervisor. After being passed over multiple times by supervisors that had done less but had a degree, I decided to pursue a position at ups freight. Things have been ok, but my heart is in small package. The story I'm being told is that they don't want any full time supervisors without degrees, period. Not through promotion or lateral moves because we are space blockers. (That was the term used)

I am a space blocker....

Do not go into full time management without a degree. The old school attitude is gone. No one cares how you do, just that on a resume you look good. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[upschuck]

Got a very deserving OMS that has been passed up a couple times because he doesn't have a degree. He is pursuing one.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

You couldn't do any worse than the ones with a degree.

 

[hyena]

Hahahahaha that's funny Ive

 

[FrigidAdCorrector]

Use tuition assistance to get a degree. They don't necessarily care that you have one. It more demonstrates to them a willingness to learn.

 

[oldngray]

Use tuition assistance to get a degree. They don't necessarily care that you have one. It more demonstrates to them a willingness to learn.

Willingness to learn IS important.

 

[FrigidAdCorrector]

Willingness to learn IS important.

I don't know what kind of soldier I'm gonna make, but I want you guys to know that if we ever get into real heavy combat... I'll be right behind you guys.... Every step of the way

 

[RolloTony Brown Town]

Use tuition assistance to get a degree. They don't necessarily care that you have one. It more demonstrates to them a willingness to learn.

That's not true. Your center manager, or division manager might not care if you have a degree, but at the region level it is the new thing. No degree? No job. At least that's how my region manager thinks. You might be one of the lucky ones who has an old school district and region manager who prefers results. I'm telling you though, this is not going away. This isn't news to me. I was told this before I accepted the position I have, but the fact remains, and corporate has spoken, if you don't have a degree then you fall to the bottom of the list.

 

[SignificantOwner]

I don't know what kind of soldier I'm gonna make, but I want you guys to know that if we ever get into real heavy combat... I'll be right behind you guys.... Every step of the way

Sounds like you have a degree and are ready for the next level of responsibility.

 

[FrigidAdCorrector]

That's not true. Your center manager, or division manager might not care if you have a degree, but at the region level it is the new thing. No degree? No job. At least that's how my region manager thinks. You might be one of the lucky ones who has an old school district and region manager who prefers results. I'm telling you though, this is not going away. This isn't news to me. I was told this before I accepted the position I have, but the fact remains, and corporate has spoken, if you don't have a degree then you fall to the bottom of the list.

Sigh, I meant more along the lines of they don't really care what the degree is in. They don't care if it's in art history or what. But having a degree shows that you are willing to learn.

 

[beentheredonethat]

A little background:

The story I'm being told is that they don't want any full time supervisors without degrees, period. Not through promotion or lateral moves because we are space blockers. (That was the term used)

I am a space blocker....

When I started back in 1988, a degree wasn't required, but encouraged. most in the engineering department didn't have a degree in engineering. I think back then we were wrong in not having enough people with degrees. However, we went overboard, IMO, in not having any supervisors without their degrees. Quite a few people will retire as supervisors, and there's nothing wrong with that. We need a lot of good supervisors who wish to be a good supervisor and don't necessarily want to advance. Right now, we have a lot of new supervisors who have degrees and are qualified to move up, but UPS doesn't have enough openings so they leave with all their knowledge and experience. That isn't good either.

 

[RolloTony Brown Town]

When I started back in 1988, a degree wasn't required, but encouraged. most in the engineering department didn't have a degree in engineering. I think back then we were wrong in not having enough people with degrees. However, we went overboard, IMO, in not having any supervisors without their degrees. Quite a few people will retire as supervisors, and there's nothing wrong with that. We need a lot of good supervisors who wish to be a good supervisor and don't necessarily want to advance. Right now, we have a lot of new supervisors who have degrees and are qualified to move up, but UPS doesn't have enough openings so they leave with all their knowledge and experience. That isn't good either.

I agree that having an education is necessary to an extent when it comes to operations management. The problem I have is that as an operations supervisor, and a pretty damn good one at that, I want to experience different avenues to round myself out. To be told that I can't move laterally within the company anymore until I get my degree is discouraging.

I signed up for classes and I'll always give it my all, but once I get my degree how loyal does this company expect me to be when they didn't show faith in me? A 10 year employee.

 

[beentheredonethat]

Loyalty is pretty much gone. UPS has decided they don't want life long mgmt people. I think we will still be fine for another 5 years. After that a huge quantity of old guard will be gone and all that is left is the new mgmt team that UPS has treated poorly.

 

[superballs63]

A pal of mine is an on road Sup, and a damn good one at that. He's been an on road since I started driving about 8 years ago. He runs the show in our center, being a constant manager through 3 different center manager's. Recently there had been a lot of shuffling, and he got passed over simply for not having his degree. He runs the center well, is good to the drivers and doesn't target people just because.

They don't look out for anybody in management, no wonder why they have a hard time getting people who have any kind of driving experience to go into FT management.

 

[Dragon]

They want you for 7 years and then they want you gone!

Degree? Why? You mean UPS University is not enough?

 

[Harry Manback]

They want you for 7 years and then they want you gone!

Degree? Why? You mean UPS University is not enough?

Look at you, biting the hand that feeds...