Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Please enter at least 3 characters.

Latest Stories

labor pool

continuing education

As tempting as it may be to toss the conference brochures piled on your desk or delete those incessant e-mail Webcast solicitations, think twice before you do. They may represent opportunities you can't afford to ignore.

As tempting as it may be to toss the conference brochures piled on your desk or delete those incessant e-mail Webcast solicitations, think twice before you do. They may represent opportunities you can't afford to ignore. With advances like RFID looming, the practice of logistics and supply chain management is changing as quickly as the numbers at the local gas pump. Like it or not, you'll need to continue your education if you want to keep up with the times.

But where do you go? If time is an issue, you can register for seminars or annual conferences offered by groups like the Warehousing Education & Research Council (WERC), the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, IWLA—The Association for Logistics Outsourcing, or the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL). You can sign up for educational Webcasts. Or you can enroll in certification program prep courses like the Certified Logistics Practitioner Program and the Computing Technology Industry Association's new RFID certification program.


If you're willing to make a longer-term commitment, you can look into courses offered by local colleges and universities. Many offer degree programs or certificates in areas like global logistics or supply chain management. Even if you don't live or work near a college campus, you can still pursue higher education—you just have to do it online. True, you may miss out on the classroom experience. But what you lose in atmosphere, you gain in convenience. With online programs, you can "take" a class at 3: 00 a.m. if you choose, and you can do it from the comfort of your home or even from a hotel room a thousand miles from home.

When deciding which route to take, you'll want to weigh the financial costs, time commitment and lasting value. What follows are some guidelines.

  • Financial costs. Attending seminars and conventions can cost anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. If there's no money in this year's budget for professional development, make sure it's included for next year. It's not just a bumper sticker slogan: Knowledge really is power. Consider this an investment in your future.
  • Time commitment. Decide how much time you can devote to the pursuit of knowledge. Seminars typically take just a few hours, a convention can last as long as a week, and a degree program will probably take about 18 months. Whichever route you choose, be realistic about the time commitment. If you're considering a certification program as a potential short cut, for example, keep in mind that while the exam may take only a few hours, you must figure in study time. Sure, your work experience counts for a lot—you'd be surprised by how much you've learned all these years working in the real world. But you'll also need book learning to pass these exams. No matter how many years you've spent on the job, it's doubtful you've picked up the answers to such questions as "What year was the forklift invented?" or "Who created the prominent methodology used for the valuation of inventory?"
  • Lasting value. When weighing your options, consider what each will be worth in the long run— to the company and to you personally. A seminar or conference might give you some great ideas for boosting performance. Earning an advanced degree could add luster to a resume. But don't look at continuing education as a way to make points with your boss or a prospective employer. Whether it prompts you to think about your job in a new way or provides a chance to network with people who share your concerns and experiences, going back to school can revitalize you in ways you never envisioned.

The Latest

More Stories

person holding smartphone with freightcenter app for tracking shipments

3PL BlueGrace Logistics acquires FreightCenter

The third party logistics (3PL) provider BlueGrace Logistics has acquired FreightCenter, an online transportation solutions provider for freight logistics management, saying the move will expand BlueGrace’s customer base by integrating FreightCenter’s clients with BlueGrace’s suite of tools and services.

Following the deal, Palm Harbor, Florida-based FreightCenter’s customers will gain access to BlueGrace’s unified transportation management system, BlueShip TMS, enabling freight management across various shipping modes. They can also use BlueGrace’s truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) services and its EVOS load optimization tools, stemming from another acquisition BlueGrace did in 2024.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

worker using sensors on rooftop infrastructure

Sick and Endress+Hauser say joint venture will enable decarbonization

The German sensor technology provider Sick GmbH has launched a joint venture with the Swiss measurement technology specialist Endress+Hauser to produce and market a new set of process automation solutions for enabling decarbonization.

Under terms of the deal, Sick and Endress+Hauser will each hold 50% of a joint venture called "Endress+Hauser SICK GmbH+Co. KG," which will strengthen the development and production of analyzer and gas flow meter technologies. According to Sick, its gas flow meters make it possible to switch to low-emission and non-fossil energy sources, for example, and the process analyzers allow reliable monitoring of emissions.

Keep ReadingShow less
noblelift forklift trucks

Noblelift North America names Pedriana as president

Material handling equipment provider Noblelift North America on Tuesday named Bill Pedriana as its new president, charging him with leading the Des Plaines, Illinois-based company into “a new era of innovation, growth, and customer-centric success.”

He replaces Loren Swakow, the company’s president for the past eight years, who built a reputation for providing innovative and high-performance material handling solutions, Noblelift North America said.

Keep ReadingShow less
chart of material handling sector results for december

Material handling sector turned in mixed results for December

An economic activity index for the material handling sector showed mixed results in December, following strong reports in October and November, according to a release from business forecasting firm Prestige Economics.

Specifically, the most recent version of the MHI Business Activity Index (BAI) showed December contractions in the areas of capacity utilization, shipments, unfilled orders, inventories, and exports. But on the upside, there were expansions in business activity, new orders, and future new orders.

Keep ReadingShow less
a photo of second harvest food bank receiving a raymond pallet jack

Carolina Handling awards motorized pallet jack to hunger relief organizations

Logistics gives back: December 2024

  • To celebrate its 58th year in business, the North Carolina-based intralogistics company Carolina Handling has awarded 58 motorized pallet jacks to hunger relief organizations throughout the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. Combined, the organizations receiving the pallet jacks serve 11.2 million individuals and distribute an average of 290 million pounds of food a year.
  • Logistics services company DHL has partnered with Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum to expand the museum’s Heart for Art educational program to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Launched in the U.S. in 2022, the Heart for Art initiative is designed to make art accessible for all and introduce students with limited access to art education to the works of Vincent van Gogh. DHL is providing full-service international shipping and logistics coordination to ensure instructors have all the materials they need.
  • Rail transportation company CSX Corp. has contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support its ongoing relief efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
  • National moving company Atlas Van Lines, along with Atlas Interstate Agent Paxton International and Paxton Van Lines, partnered with the nonprofit organization Move For Hunger and corporate relocation specialist WERC for a meal-packing initiative in October. During the event, attendees helped assemble meal kits to support local families in need.