Innovation and technological advancements will dictate the future of the supply chain industry in 2020, says MetroMinds CEO Juliette Fourie.According to the education specialist, leaders in the industry should embrace the changing times as technology opens doors for future growth. Virtual reality is one of the innovations that the company is exploring. “We are actively pursuing it despite the complexities and costs associated with the launch of such a ground-breaking platform. “Virtual reality is a really exciting element we are trying to introduce. Imagine you can go on a full port tour without actually travelling to the port, or see the inner workings of freight forwarders right from your desk,” Fourie said. Innovation is at the core of the company ’s value proposition, says Fourie, and was the motivation for the launch last year of its online service, E-Minds, which has since opened the door to candidates across the continent to earn a qualification recognised in South Africa.However, Fourie added, this was not any online course as a lot of focus was placed on simulation and practical work. “It is not as simple as just an online PDF post. We offer interactive research, a video library, numerous self-evaluation checklists, and activities for students to do online as if they were in a classroom.”E-minds is available in 12 African countries, with over 600 South African students using the platform. She said clients expected graduates to be accustomed to the latest advancements and be fully prepared once they started. “In this industry there is no time to wait. When you arrive you must be ready. So we want to take the onus on ourselves to ensure our customers are ready when they step into the workforce.”