3 part-time sups went FT about a year and a half ago at my hub. 2 of them had over 5 years with the company, the other had worked only 2.5 years (roughly), and wasn't even 25 years old. None of them had degrees, or were in school.
Becoming a FT lead doesn't depend solely on having a degree or being in school. The 3 guys I mentioned all had a good head on their shoulders, were well liked amongst upper management while still PT sups, and were all respected in the areas they were tasked with running. It also helped that they almost always hit their numbers (they knew how to run an area no matter where they were).
Not a sup, but I've worked for UPS for nearly a decade, and can honestly say I've only ever worked for 4 supervisors who actually had not only a good understanding of how to run an area, but navigate around union BS, worker self-entitlement and personality clashes.
My advice would be:
- Pick your battles; know when to lean on someone, and when to give them space.
- Don't be above taking advice on how the area should run from the people who are actually paid to work it. Your job is to supervise, this doesn't automatically mean you're qualified to run the area you're in charge of.
- Figure out who your strongest people are, and who are your weakest. But whatever you do, don't rely solely on your best people 100% of the time. They're people, not machines. This is a surefire way to burn them out, and create animosity/kill morale.
- Remember that at the end of the day, you're being paid to stand around with your hands in your pockets and watch other people work. This means they'll pay the price for your mistakes. Own up to those mistakes whenever they happen, and try to make it so you don't duplicate them. Some of the worst sups I've ever had the displeasure of working for lacked common sense, and would repeat the same mistakes.
- Show your appreciation for a worker or workers that work hard for you (bottled water or pizza goes a long way). Just because the company has gotten rid of employee recognition, doesn't mean you have to.
That's all I've got. Good luck.