Business English: Supply Chain and Career Vocabulary

Supply Chain Roles and Definitions

• Buyer (comprador): Purchases raw materials or parts needed to make the product.
• Supplier (proveïdor): Sells raw materials, parts, or packaging to the manufacturer.
• Manufacturer (fabricant): Makes products in a factory.
• Forwarder (remitent): Delivers materials or products to the manufacturer or to the customer.
• Retailer (minorista): Sells products to customers in a shop or a store.
• Customer (client): Buys and uses the product.

Production and Logistics Processes

Assembly (reunió), packaging (paquet), purchasing (compra), shipment (envío), and testing (ensayo).

Product Lifecycle States

The product is or are: processed, tracked, designed, manufactured, distributed, used, repaired, and recycled.

Prepositions of Place

Above (arriba), at (en), behind (detrás), below (a baix), between (al mig), in (dins), in front of (davant), next to (al costat), on (a sobre), on top of (a sobre), and under (debajo).

Personality Traits

Kind: Optimistic, ambitious, flexible, tolerant, demanding, loyal, hard-working, and organized.

Job-Seeking and Career Development

• I read all the job ads in the newspaper and visited three job fairs, but I didn't find a job.
• Many companies look to hire new graduates with the potential to follow a career path to management.
• Almost any entry-level job will allow you to gain experience and be promoted to a better position.
• As soon as I was asked to attend an interview, I started to prepare for questions about my strengths and weaknesses.
• The first interview is to get to know the candidates; if they make a good impression, they get a second interview.

Educational and Professional Vocabulary

• Grew up: Changed from a baby to an adult.
• Graduated: Completed my studies.
• Primary school: A school for children aged 5 to 11.
• Degree: A course of study or university qualification.
• Résumé: The American word for CV.
• Internship: A student who works in a company.
• Trainee: Someone who is learning a job or profession.
• High school: A school for children aged 11 to 18.
• Work placement: A job that a student does to get experience.
• Abroad: In another country.

Common Preposition Usage

• In: Line for ages, the grey suit, a taxi, the street, the country, the corner.
• On: The second, the internet, the plane, the phone, the screen.
• At: The end, the airport, home, the bottom, the top, 9:15.