The Port of Long Beach Maritime Center for Excellence at Long Beach City College is just one of many ways the city is promoting careers in trade and handling goods. Programs offered at LBCC and Long Beach State are helping to increase employment in global logistics and goods movement where workers are needed.
A press release from the Port of Long Beach on Aug. 8 revealed that it is collaborating with Long Beach City College in a year-long pilot project funded by the city’s Board of Commissions. The endeavor will combine education and industry professionals for students to gain hands-on skills and training.
The center is still in preliminary stages and a date for the launch and opening of the center has not yet been set.
“We are putting together the pipeline between educational institution[s] and industry,” said Stacey Toda, associate director for office of communications and community at LBCC.
The program will allow students training within their specific career path that will help them get into the workforce without needing a four year degree, depending on job requirements.
The center’s goal is to help guide students to employment opportunities in the industry. Specific jobs include warehouse and distribution supervisor, shipping and receiving clerk, transportation supervisor, scheduler and operation coordinator.
“Not everyone wants to be an engineer,” said Lee Peterson, media relations manager for the Port of Long Beach. “Maybe they want to be a truck driver or [handle] shipments.”
The Port of Long Beach already has outreach efforts at Cabrillo High School where students are able to tour industry facilities and attain high school internships. LBCC is also planning a 30 to 80 hour workshop training which is anticipated to launch in spring 2019, according to Toda.
The Maritime Center for Excellence will be open to anyone, including Long Beach State students.
A similar program, the Global Logistics Specialist Professional Designation Program, is available at LBSU as a certificate program. The program gives students two years to complete all requirements, although it can be done in six months.
According to the GLS website, the program offers classes on campus and online. The classes include industry site visits so students are able to learn and work directly with industry professionals.
A two year master’s program is also offered at LBSU with the Master of Science Supply Chain Management graduates program. Students are only admitted through application, so not everyone is guaranteed a spot. The program works with the Port of Long Beach in providing scholarships, internships, job opportunities and the Pathways to Success event. The event is held in the spring semester and invites panelists from different companies allowing students an opportunity to network and be recruited.
“Students get real-world experience and exposure in the field,” said Carlos Franco, graduate programs specialist for the College of Business Administration at LBSU.