LOGISTICS, SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND …...EDUATLANTA>LOGISTICS The logistics,transportation and supplychain management industry is booming, offering opportunitiesforyou to gain

LOGISTICS,LOGISTICS,SUPPLY CHAINSUPPLY CHAINMANAGEMENT ANDMANAGEMENT ANDTRANSPORTATIONTRANSPORTATION

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LEARNMORE. EARNMORE.

S u n d a y , J u n e 2 1 , 2 0 1 5

10 things:10 things:Getting motivated,Getting motivated,staying motivatedstaying motivated

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Who’sWho’shiring?hiring?

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Put your career in gear with education and other opportunitiesPut your career in gear with education and other opportunities

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Logistics, supply chainmanagement andtransportation training, education and careeropportunities abound locally.

Put yourcareerin gearByHunterLaceyFor theAJC

E D U AT L A N TA > L O G I S T I C S

The logistics, transportation andsupply chain management industry isbooming, offering opportunities for youto gain education and experience salarygrowth in careers ranging from industri-al engineers to warehouse managers totrucking and air cargo supervisors.

At its core, the logistics field revolvesaround one purpose: moving productsfrom suppliers to customers through asupply chain.

Georgia is the place to be for educa-tion and employment, as 90 percent ofthe world’s top third-party logistics pro-viders are located in the Peach State, ac-cording to the Georgia Department ofEconomic Development. In the trans-portation field, exciting jobs vary fromworking as air traffic controllers to be-ing part of a NASCAR pit crew.

As you look into logistics and trans-portation careers on the road, in the

air, on the sea, along the railroad andeven on the speedway, here’s what youshould know:

■ Well-known brands such as the Co-ca-Cola Co., UPS and Gulfstream Aero-space Corp. call Georgia home.

■ Georgia ranks fifth nationally inlogistics employment

■ More than 12,000 logistics serviceproviders in Georgia employ 140,000-plus residents

■ The Port of Savannah is the fourth-largest and fastest-growing port in theU.S.

■ Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain & Lo-gistics Institute is the largest supplychain and education logistics enter-prise in the world, containing 30 facultymembers and eight research centers.

Employers are choosing Georgia be-cause of its infrastructure and the op-portunity to find workers who havebeen trained through schools such asthe state’s technical colleges. The de-mand is high: More than 9,000 jobs an-nually need to be filled by logistics em-ployers in Georgia.

Is a career in logistics, supply chain management or transportation in the picture foryou? Read on to find out more about education, training and career options aroundAtlanta and the region. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE AJC

WHAT’SASUPPLYCHAIN?Whenyou readabout logisticsandtransportation,you’ll seepeoplereferring toasupplychain.This isa shorthand forthesequenceofprocesses involved in theproductionanddistributionofanyproduct.Many jobsandcareers revolvearoundsupplychains.To learnmore,visit http://cscmp.org/career/career-centerandhttp://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/logisticians.htm

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Logistics, supply chain and transportation workByBritneyHardweareFortheAJC

1.Whichworkenvironmentwouldyouprefer?A.HecticB.Steady/fast-pacedC.Whoathere. I’ll goas fastorslowas Iwant,thanks.

2.Whichworkdutieswouldyouprefer?A.WorkingwithcomputersB.WorkingwithyourhandsC.Workingwithvehicles

3. Inagroupproject,wouldyourather:A.Take the lead—nooneelsecando itbest.B.Supportandgowith theflow—everyoneshoulddotheirshare.C.Groupwhat?!Ummm... can I justworkalone?

4.Whattypeofeducationprogramareyouseeking?

A.Atwo- to four-yeardegreeprogramB.Ashort certificationprogramC.Anon-the-job trainingprogram

5.Whatdoyouconsidertobeyourbestskill set?A.Communication/customerserviceskillsB.Mechanical skillsC.Timemanagementskills

MostlyAs:You’reaStrategist—LikeaLogistician!Logisticiansare like theparentsofanorganization’s supplychain.Theyareresponsible foraproduct’s life cycle fromproduction todelivery.Theyworkwithsophisticatedsoftware ina fast-pacedworkenvironment.Logisticiansacquireorganizational andproblem-solvingskills inanassociate’sorbachelor’sdegreeprograminbusiness, supplychainmanagementorengineering.Jobsareexpected togrowbyanabove-average22percentby2022,andthemedianannual salarywas$72,780 in

2012,according to theU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.MostlyBs:You’reMeticulous—LikeaConveyorOperatorConveyoroperatorshavemechanical,productionandprocessingknow-how,andorganizational skills thathelpcompaniesworkefficiently.Theyweighandmeasureproducts, informsupervisorsofmechanicalmalfunctions,andensureproductsareprocessed.Jobsareexpected togrow3percentby2022,withamedian2012annualpayof$29,610,according to theU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.MostlyCs:You’reaFreeSpirit—LikeATractor-TrailerDriverHeavytruckdrivers live lifeon theopen roadwhileexecuting thedeliveryofproducts.Theyhaul heavy loads (up to26,000pounds),oftenplanning theirown routesandstops to reachdestinationson time.On-the-job trainingandahighschooldiplomaprovidesaccess to this career,projectedtogrow11percentby2022,according to

theU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.The2012medianannualpaywas$38,200,plusbonuses.Entrepreneurial-mindeddrivers,knownas“owner-operators,”owntheirtrailersandcontract their jobs fromvariouscompanies.

Sources: Logisticians:www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/logisticians.htm#tab-1www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1081.00Conveyoroperators&tenders:www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-7011.00www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/material-moving-machine-operators.htm#tab-2HeavyTractorTrailerDrivers:www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-3032.00www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/heavy-and-tractor-trailer-truck-drivers.htm

E D U AT L A N TA > Q U I Z

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E D U AT L A N TA > W H O ’ S H I R I N G

Gainesville’s Syfan Logistics

By Shannon AdamsFor theAJC

Syfan Logistics, based in Gainesville,ships poultry, seafood, candy, cere-al and soft drinks for some of the coun-try’s biggest food companies.

In the last four years, the deliverycompany has grown from a little-knownbusiness to an operation conductingmore than $80 million in sales and gar-nering national attention, said Greg Sy-fan, president of Syfan Logistics.

In 2015, Syfan Logistics was named tothe Top 50 list of transportation compa-nies by Transport Topics, a publicationthat Syfan calls “the Bible of transporta-tion.” Last year, UPS, another customer,recognized Syfan for its exceptional ser-vice during the holiday rush.

The company’s workforce continuesto grow, especially as the holidays ap-

proach. Syfan chatted about his compa-ny and the job opportunities.

Q: How many people do you plan tohire in 2015?A: We’ll probably hire five to 10 more(full-time, permanent) people betweennow and fourth quarter. In September,we will hire probably about 60 people.All of those positions are temporary tostart with. Of the ones that are brightestand best, there’s a certain percentagethat we keep each year of that tempo-rary pool to kick off that next year.

Q: What type of jobs and positions areavailable?A: Most of these are support jobs.We’ve got a position called Order En-try, and this is a group that takes allthe (freight) orders that the sales peo-ple are booking. The Routing and Dis-patch group follows up with drivers thatare hauling the loads for us, and they’regiving the driver all the pertinent infor-mation. Once the truck is loaded andon the road, the Traffic group keeps upwith that truck and make sure it’s run-ning on time.

Q: What types of skills do you want tosee in candidates?A: We’re always looking for people thattake ownership in what they do, thatcare, and want to do a good job. Our in-dustry is very fast paced, so people thatlike to be very busy, that love to comein, blink their eyes, and it’s time to goto lunch, and then come back fromlunch, blink their eyes, and it’s time togo home.

Q: What benefits are offered at Syfan?A: We’ve got a full health plan. We’vegot 401(k) that’s matching at 3 percent.We’ve got paid time off after you’vebeen here a certain amount of time, anddental and vision (insurance plans).

Q: Why do you like your job?A: I love my job because of all the peo-ple. It absolutely does my heart good tosee a college kid come in here and workhard to understand the business, makegood money, and go out and buy thefirst brand new car of his life. That is agreat feeling.

Firmmade Top 50in transportationcompanies rankings.

Syfan Logistics is based in Gainesville.

Syfan Logistics is an $80 million company that ships poultry, seafood, candy, cereal and soft drinks for some of the country’s biggest food companies. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS BY SYFAN LOGISTICS

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E D U AT L A N TA > T O P 1 0

How to get — and stay —motivatedBy Anastasia Grace for the AJC

Going back to school is a smart career step, but it adds another role of being “the student,” on top of being an employee, parent,spouse or friend. Check out (and check off) these 10 tips to staying motivated as an adult student.

1Get to know fellow students. Exchange contact information with at least oneclassmate who could serve as a study partner and encourage you (and vice ver-

sa) to stay on track with assignments.

2Take meetings with advisors seriously. Explain scheduling concerns and obliga-tions such as work and children. The advisor can help you map out a personal-

ized educational path.

3Be a planner. Set your class and study schedule well in advance to avoid con-flicts with work and other obligations. Online classes also offer the convenience

of learning anytime, anywhere.

4Downsize the pressure. Special learning opportunities can give you knowl-edge and skills to succeed. For example, Central Georgia Technical College

(centralgatech.edu) offers Adult Ed 101 classes that review critical skills.

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Many schools, such asAtlanta Technical College,Georgia State Universityand Gwinnett TechnicalCollege, offer day careservices.

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It should come as no surprise that At-lanta and Georgia are among the world’sbusiest supply chain management hubs.After all, before Georgia’s capital citywas called Atlanta or even Marthasville,it was known as Terminus and providedthe major railroad connection betweenthe Port of Savannah and the rest of thecountry.

Thanks in no small part to the port,

the major rail lines that still exist in At-lanta and the world’s busiest airport,Georgia provides the backdrop for theefficient movement — both in and outof the country — of an untold variety ofgoods. With that movement comes lotsof jobs for you in logistics, transporta-tion, purchasing, material handling andsupply chain management, among manyother areas.

“What’s interesting about Atlanta isit’s probably one of the world’s broad-est supply chain and logistics market-ing spots for hiring people,” said TimBrown, managing director of GeorgiaTech’s Supply Chain & Logistics Institute.“It’s because of the airport and air cargoand huge rail yards, plus this is probablythe world’s hub for supply chain technol-ogy.”

As a result of all this moving and shak-ing, there’s a variety of related jobs avail-able for you in the industry. The state,with its economic development, laborand technical education branches, is do-ing all it can to help train and fill myriadpositions, ranging from truck and forklift

drivers to logistics and warehouse trafficpersonnel.

What type of jobs are available?Jannine Miller, director of the Center

of Innovation for Logistics at the GeorgiaDepartment of Economic Development (logistics.georgiainnovation.org), pointsout that overall transportation and ware-housing employment increased 3.6 per-cent in April and that rail employmentramped up by some 4.6 percent.

And that growth is expected to con-tinue, in a number of occupations. Inthe Georgia Department of Labor’s “Hot

E D U AT L A N TA > C OV E R S T O RY

Many educationand career opportunities locally.

Logistics and transportation

By Chris Starrs For the AJC

A cargo ship on the Savannah River passes under the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. The city is a hub for moving goods in and out of the U.S., as well as across the country. CONTRIBUTED

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Careers to 2022” listings, several supplychain-related jobs pop up as hot and en-during.

Here’s a peek into the expected jobgrowth, forecasted by the state Depart-ment of Labor, from 2012-2022.

■Transportation, storage and dis-tribution managers will see an annualgrowth rate of 1.1 percent, or 140 annu-al openings.

■ Logisticians (who analyze and coor-dinate supply chain) will see a growth of24.6 percent, or 150 annual openings.

■ Shipping, receiving and trafficclerks can expect to see some 830 open-ings each year, an 8.9 percent increase inemployment.

Truck drivers, warehouse workers,supervisors of distribution centers andtransportation networks are among thevital occupations in the state’s logistics,supply chain and transportation

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Gretchen Hicks operates her forklift in one of the Saddle Creek Logistics warehouses in Atlanta. She is a recent graduate of AtlantaTech’s new Center for Supply Chain and Logistics. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE AJC continuedon 12

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Preparing for a career in forklift op-eration requires a bit of heavy lifting, inthe form of attaining training, certifica-tion and even some physical strength.Forklift operators must be able to push,pull and lift at least 75 pounds on a re-curring basis.

Goodwill of North Georgia’s Fork-lift Training Program (goodwillng.org/Get-Training/Training-Programs/Forklift.aspx) allows individuals to gaincertification to work as a forklift opera-tor in two to four weeks. The job read-

iness program includes training led byToyota Forklifts of Atlanta, CPR/FirstAid training and job placement assis-tance from the Goodwill of North Geor-gia Career Centers in Decatur, Duluth,Woodstock, Athens and Oakwood.

Upon completion of the four-weekprogram, Tyniesha Brown earned herlicense and certification, and land-ed a new job. Brown, who previous-ly was working in baggage claim atHartsfield-Jackson International Air-port, was hired as a warehouse work-er for a logistics company through DeltaGlobal Staffing.

Q:Why did you enroll in this pro-gram?A: The temp agency (Delta Global Staff-ing) asked if I had experience working ina warehouse or a license, which I didn’t.So, I enrolled in the program to make iteasier to get a job.

Q:What did you learn from the pro-gram?A: I learned how to ride a forklift, howto get and keep a job, how to build a re-sume and interview skills. I also got CPRcertified.

Q:What types of opportunities didthe program give you?A: It helped me find a job.

Q:What type of person does it take towork in this field?A: I would say it takes an outgoing per-sonality.

Q: Are participants guaranteed a jobupon completion of the program?A: No, but they are willing to help. Del-ta Global Staffing had a job fair throughGoodwill and that’s where I got this op-portunity.


Heavy liftingByElizabethGerberFor theAJC

PROGRAM CLASSES INFO

B&WForkliftTrainingCenter Forklift safety trainingandcertificationcertificatebwforklifttrainingcenter.com;678-413-1111

GoodwillofNorthGeorgia NewChoices forklift trainingcertificate goodwillng.org; 404-728-8600

AtlantaTechnicalCollegeCertifiedwarehousinganddistributionspecialist continuingeducationcertificate; supplychainmanagertcc, technical certificateofcredit

atlantatech.edu;404-225-4491

GwinnettTechnicalCollegeForklift operatorcertificationcertificate;basicmanagementskills certificate;businessmanagement—diploma,associate’s;managementand leadership specialist - certificate

gwinnetttech.edu;678-226-6743

InstituteofIndustrialEngineersSupplychain facilitiesandnetworkscertificate;Supplychain informationsystemscertificate; supplychainperformancemeasurescertificate; supplychainprocess improvementcertificate; Leansupplychainmanagementcertificate

iienet2.org; 770-349-1130

ClaytonStateUniversityBusinessadministration—master’s; supplychainmanagement—bachelor’s,master’s; leadership skillscertificate

clayton.edu;678-466-4520

GeorgiaGwinnettCollege General business -bachelor’s ggc.edu;678-407-5396

GeorgiaPiedmontTechnicalCollege-ContinuingEducation

Logisticsandtransportationcertificate; logisticsandtransportation technical certificateofcredit gptc.edu;404-297-9522

GeorgiaStateUniversity—J.MackRobinsonCollegeofBusiness

Operationsmanagement -master’s; businessadministration -master’s robinson.gsu.edu;404-413-7650

GwinnettCollege Business—associate’s gwinnettcollege.edu; 770-381-7200

KennesawStateUniversityManagementcertificate—online— inactivecertificate; operationsandpurchasing–minor,bachelor’s;management -B.B.A.,bachelor’s; purchasingandsupplychainmanagementcertificate,onlinecertificate

ksu.edu; 770-423-6552;770-499-3355

LanierTechnicalCollege Businessmanagement—associate,diplomalaniertech.edu; 770-781-6956;770-531-6398

SouthernCrescentTechnicalCollege Certifiedwarehousinganddistributionspec technical certificateofcredit sctech.edu; 770-229-9799

ChattahoocheeTechnicalCollege Logisticsandsupplychainmanagement—associate’schattahoocheetech.edu;770-528-4586

Training, education opportunities

SOURCE:METRO ATLANTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | COMPILED BY BRITTANY LYNCH

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E D U AT L A N TA > M A K I N G I T WO R K

Short-term study counts

By Ryan KorFor theAJC

Short-term career training can be an attractive op-tion for professionals seeking to advance in the logis-tics, supply chain and transportation fields.

Amanda Mewborn took Lean Six Sigma Black Belttraining, which teaches students in business problemsolving and helps develop their management andleadership qualities. Having gained these new skillsthrough the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) inAtlanta, she put them into practice for her employer,Perkins + Will. Then she was hired as executivedirector of project management for PiedmontHealthcare in Atlanta and she now teaches Lean GreenBelt training.

The IIE program provided career-specific training

in a short amount of time for Mewborn, a mom who al-ready held a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Geor-gia State and degrees from Georgia Tech. She chattedabout her field and the value of a short-term certifica-tion course.

Q: Why do you like being an industrial engineer?A: As an industrial engineer, my work involves im-proving processes and performance of organizations.I chose healthcare because I can make a difference inthe lives of people.

Q: What were some skills you learned in the train-ing program?A: Lean is all about eliminating waste from processesso we can increase value to the customer. The instruc-tor offered many hands-on exercises that ensured thatall learning styles were accommodated in the course.

Q: How did you fit the training into your schedule?A: We did the training over five long days in one week(at her workplace). While my employer allowed us the

workday to attend the training, client commitmentsstill had to be met. Some days, we had to work late anddo our regular work after the training. It was only forone week, though, and was well worth the sacrifice ofsome personal time in the evenings and early morn-ings.

Q: In what ways did the training influence your ca-reer?A: Since the training, I have changed jobs and nowwork at Piedmont Healthcare. At Piedmont, I use theLean tools in my work as a project manager. It is prob-able that having the Lean Black Belt certification influ-enced the company’s decision to hire me.

Q: What advice would you give those who are seek-ing to work in engineering?A: Sometimes people immediately think, “I need toget my master’s degree.” The first thought might be todo a certification class, which is less risky because it’snot as expensive and it’s not as big of a time commit-ment.

Picking up targeted skills at acourse is a smart careermove.

AmandaMewbornworks with hercolleague KatMajester in theprogram man-agement officeat PiedmontHealthcare inAtlanta. Sheparticipatedin the Lean SixSigma BlackBelt train-ing programoffered by theInstitute ofIndustrial Engi-neers. Mew-born’s trainingtook place overfive days. PHIL

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Atlanta Journal-Constitution namedMarciaTaylor’s logistics company Bennett InternationalGroup one of Atlanta’s top workplaces in 2015.

Logisticsscholarshipavailable

By Aashka Dave for the AJC

E D U AT L A N TA > D I D YO U K N OW ?

When Marcia Taylor, CEO of logistics company Bennett International Group,started a scholarship for supply chain management students, she wanted to helpstudents who might not be able to afford a college education.

The scholarship, funded through the Taylor Family Foundation, has awarded$2,500 each to eight students at Clayton State University, through May 2015. Theaward is Clayton State’s largest scholarship for students majoring in supply chainmanagement and it has been approved for a third year, said Thomas Giffin, direc-tor of development at Clayton State.

Taylor, who did not attend college, grew the business from the trucking compa-ny, George Bennett Motor Express, that she and her late husband, J.D. Garrison,purchased in 1974. Now, the McDonough company has more than 3,000 owner/operators, agents and employees and annual revenue of more than $315 million.

Taylor works with her three grown children and four of her seven grandchildrenin the family-owned trucking/transportation business, which the Atlanta Journal-Constitution named as one of Atlanta’s Top Workplaces for 2015.

Taylor stresses that the evolving nature of the logistics and transportation in-dustry underscores the need for students to gain education and training to be pre-pared to work in the field.

“We thought by offering this scholarship, especially in logistics, and by offeringit to a great local college like Clayton State, it would be a perfect way to help maybesome students who couldn’t afford to get a college education,” she said.

Four $2,500 awards are distributed annually to students in the supply chain pro-gram. The scholarships are vital at Clayton State. During the 2014-2015 school year,75 percent of Clayton State University students demonstrated financial need andmore than 53 percent receive Pell Grant funding.

Hue Nguyen, a 2014 graduate of Clayton State’s supply chain management pro-gram, says the scholarship helped ease her financial concerns so she could focuson school. She now works as a management trainee for freight forwarding compa-ny Kuehne + Nagel in Stockbridge.

“It impacted me a lot,” she said. “It actually changed my perspective in life, too.I had just had a baby, and that time, when I gave birth to my baby, I had to go to

work and luckily I had the scholarship and Mrs. Marcia Taylor.”Taylor said resources, such as online learning opportunities, weren’t available

for her to pursue education as a young mother.“I so enjoyed getting to meet some of the students that have received it and hear

their stories,” Taylor said. “Because they have stories a lot like what mine wasmany years ago.”

Students majoring in supply chain management in their junior or senior years atClayton State with a 2.5 or higher GPA and demonstrated financial need are eligi-ble for the scholarship. Scholarships are distributed through the Office of FinancialAid at Clayton State.

Marcia Taylor, CEO of Bennett International Group:“We thought by offering this scholar-ship, especially in logistics, and by offering it to a great local college like Clayton State,it would be a perfect way to helpmaybe some students who couldn’t afford to get acollege education.”PHIL SKINNER FOR THE AJC

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5Seek financial help. Financial aidis not limited to traditional col-

lege students. Scholarships are avail-able for adult learners, through yourschools and listed on sites such asscholarshipworkshop.com.

6Look into prep programs. Someschools offer programs that help

prepare students for the academic envi-ronment. For example, Kennesaw StateUniversity (ksu.edu) has First-Year Sem-inars that discuss study skills, and timeand money management.

7Investigate child care on campus.Many schools, such as Atlanta Tech-

nical College, Georgia State Universi-ty and Gwinnett Technical College, of-fer day care services (see more schoolslisted on collegesimply.com/colleges/georgia/colleges-with-daycare).

8Know your learning style. A quizat educationplanner.org can help

you determine which of the three mainstyles you have:■ Visual learners benefit from usingstudy tools such as diagrams and high-lighters and should sit near the front ofthe class.■ Auditory learners memorize materialbest by explaining it out loud to others.■ Kinesthetic learners do better whenthey physically do things such as mak-ing sticky notes or clicking on a screen.

9Make time for networking. Attendnetworking events offered by colleg-

es, schools and industry groups to learnabout job opportunities and make asmooth transition into a new career.

10Connect with your professors.Take advantage of office hours or

reach out virtually to ask your profes-sor questions and ease anxiety over as-signments.

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E D U AT L A N TA > T O P 1 0

Some schools offerprograms that helpprepare studentsfor academics. Forexample, Kennesaw StateUniversity has First-YearSeminars that discussstudy skills, and time andmoneymanagement.

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industry.“Those workers are

what make logistics hap-pen in Georgia,” Millersaid.

Where you can find lo-gistics, supply chain andtransportation education

With training, there areplenty of opportunitiesfor you to break into thisindustry, and Georgia pro-vides a host of education-al options. School officialsaround the state are excit-ed about growing and newprograms that will helptrain individuals who areinterested in this growingsector.

Savannah Technical Col-lege (savannahtech.edu)is teaming up with thestate’s Workforce Divi-sion, Savannah Econom-ic Development Authority,Center of Innovation forLogistics, Coastal Work-force Investment Area andsome 50 local logistics andwarehousing companies.Its Fast Start program, anon-credit, eight-weekprogram, is meant to putprepared people to work.

“What’s exciting for usis these students can startin Fast Track, get hired bya Home Depot and be puton a management trackbecause they’ve got thatinitial skill and initial ed-ucation,” said Kevin Wer-ntz, vice president of eco-nomic development forSavannah Tech.

Savannah Tech also of-fers an associate’s degreein logistics management,which provides a pathwayto obtain a four-year de-gree in logistics andintermodal transporta-tion from Georgia South-ern. “There are multipleaspects of the whole in-dustry that are demandingpeople,” said SavannahTech academic vice presi-dent Ken Boyd.

A little closer to “Ter-

minus” are educationalopportunities at GeorgiaTech and Atlanta Techni-cal College.

Georgia Tech’s SupplyChain & Logistics Institute(scl.gatech.edu), which re-cently opened an officedevoted to logistics educa-tion at its Savannah cam-pus, offers short cours-es, professional educa-tion courses and onlineclasses.

The courses are optionsoften used by mid-levelmanagers and directorsseeking ongoing educa-tion, Brown said. The In-stitute also offers supportfor its master’s degree insupply chain engineeringand executive master’s de-gree in international lo-gistics.

What logistics, supply

chain and transportationemployers are seeking

At Atlanta TechnicalCollege (atlantatech.edu),two degree programs andan eight-week certificationprogram are offered in ad-dition to the school’s ac-tive truck driving courses.Kemith Thompson, sup-ply chain managementprogram manager and de-partment chair at Atlan-ta Technical College, saidemployers are looking forworkers with “creden-tials.”

“A lot of my students inthe supply chain degreeprogram actually alreadywork in the field,” he said.“These are employeesthat are at that entry level,who don’t have the skillsthey realize they need tomove up in their organiza-

tion and move around inthat sector.

They need that creden-tial. They have the expe-rience — they just don’thave the credentials.We’re in a unique positionfor supplying that pool.”

Atlanta Tech is also inthe process of expand-ing its program by addinganother degree program(an associate’s of sciencein supply chain manage-ment). The college is de-veloping a center for lo-gistics located on SouthFulton Industrial Boule-vard, which will bring stu-dents closer to many ofthe companies that couldemploy them.

“Our plan is to create awarehouse lab, a centerwhere students meet in-dustry,” Thompson said.

continued from 7 Savannah TechnicalCollege is teamingupwith the state’sWorkforce Division,Savannah EconomicDevelopment Authority,Center of Innovationfor Logistics, CoastalWorkforce InvestmentArea and some 50 locallogistics andwarehousingcompanies.

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LOGISTICS, SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND …...EDUATLANTA>LOGISTICS The logistics,transportation and supplychain management industry is booming, offering opportunitiesforyou to gain