How do you interest the next generation in global logistics? Tell them the future is theirs.
That’s a prediction Jasmin Lee shared when recruiting the inaugural class of Union County Vocational-Technical Schools’ Academy for Global Logistics. Lee is principal of the new four-year, full-time academy, which has launched this school year with 48 freshmen.
The program will grow to full capacity over four years to eventually educate nearly 200 students in a building leased from Union College of Union County, but conveniently located on the UCVTS campus. The vocational-technical school is using funding from the 2018 Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act to renovate part of the building and start the new academy.
Lee was up for the challenge of getting Union County middle-schoolers interested in the program, aware many would be unfamiliar with global logistics — an essential part of supply chain management. She turned to storytelling, walking students through the steps to get a product they desired into their hands, from searching for it and buying it to unpacking it and using it — and every single step in between. She emphasized that each step was a piece of a puzzle, and a career in global logistics is essentially putting that puzzle together.
“We aimed to make a career in supply chain management less mysterious, but we also aimed to grab students with messaging that it is OK if they don’t know what they want to be,” said UCVTS Superintendent Gwen Ryan. “We emphasized that this is a program where students can take time to figure out their interests and strengths, and how they might apply them to work in a career where demand is high.”
UCVTS developed the new Academy for Global Logistics to prepare students for a range of responsibilities in assembling the metaphorical global logistics puzzle. Options exist for students to accumulate college credits and even earn an associate degree through dual enrollment with Union College and additional opportunities with Rutgers University. Students interested in going right into the workforce can focus on obtaining credentials such as OSHA-10 and Manufacturing Skills Standards Council Certified Logistics Associate certification, covering nearly a dozen topic areas.
All students will receive hands-on training in the newly renovated classroom spaces, including a replica warehouse. Open areas for working together will encourage a school culture that resembles a work environment where problem-solving and collaboration lead to students adopting global perspectives, a sense of responsibility and professionalism and a desire to continue learning and drive innovation. Lee said such an environment will help students thrive in their next steps, whether they pursue college or go directly into the workforce.
Another way the academy will prepare students for the real world is by encouraging them to work across disciplines.
“We can connect our global logistics students to our automotive and IT programs, our business and engineering programs,” Ryan said. “We are all on the same campus, so, we are uniquely positioned for this type of collaboration, and we are excited to see what opportunities we can create with new electives and projects to enhance students’ learning.”
The UCVTS Academy for Global Logistics also will provide opportunities for work-based learning as students progress in their skill development. District administrators know there are plenty of eager industry partners right in Union County.Â
“We have the Port of Elizabeth, the airport nearby and so much more right here and bordering our county,” emphasized Ryan.
Assistant Superintendent Walt Smolenski recalled attending a meeting at Union College with the Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce out of Elizabeth about five years ago, in which chamber members approached educators to develop training programs in supply chain management.
“They talked about the need for skilled employees in shipping and warehousing,” Smolenski said. “We already had this program on our radar, but that helped move it to the top of our wish list.”
Smolenski said that, when applications opened up for grant funding made possible by the 2018 Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, the district knew it had a strong shot at launching the program.
“This Global Logistics Academy checks the boxes for the type of program the state aimed to fund; it prepares students for high-demand, high-wage and high-skill careers,” he said, adding, “and it helps us grow in a way that serves students and our county.”
Smolenski said Rutgers University was an invaluable resource, sharing framework for curriculum already developed through a partnership between its business school and the state. Union College stepped up to provide the space for the program, but also connected professors with UCVTS administrators to work out details for articulated college credits and program alignment.
The district has hired a full staff for the new academy, including an instructor with industry experience. Teaching staff have master’s degrees to double as adjunct instructors with Union College for those courses that qualify for college credit. Next steps include moving into the newly renovated space this school year and growing the advisory board of industry and academic partners.
Advisory board members ensure curriculum remains relevant as the industry evolves and also help make connections between the classroom and the real world. They may serve as guest speakers, assist students with networking and open up their own workplaces to interns and eventually new employees.
“We already have businesses calling us,” said Ryan. “That interest is a great sign for our new program.”
Partners Wanted
Employers and supply chain professionals can learn more and express interest in partnering with Union County Vocational-Technical Schools or any New Jersey county vocational-technical school at careertechnj.org/become-an-employer-partner/.
This series on education and industry is presented by the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools.
