The Bay Area CITD, in partnership with regional community colleges, expanded upon Global Trade and Logistics (GTL) employer needs in its second Business and Industry Leaders Advisory Forum for GTL on Wednesday, May 20, 2015. Yvonne Reid, MS BA, Director of CITD, facilitated an interactive session between Global Trade Logistics leaders and community college deans, faculty and DSNs from Skyline College including the Veteran’s Center, Cañada College, Contra Costa College, College of Alameda, and Hartnell Community College. Oakland Unified School District and So. San Francisco High School contributed to the discussion also.
Company and industry representatives included information community technology, global supply chain management, Northern California Small Business Development Center, Page Fura Law Firm, the Workforce Investment Board, and the Oakland and South San Francisco Unified School Districts, among others. This group outlined career pathways road maps in sales and marketing, purchasing, trade compliance, and freight forwarding. Richard Fratarelli of the San Francisco Airport Commission emphasized, “The strong need for well-experienced employees who are able to think critically and analytically to be able to perform the job up to the demanded standard.”
BILAF will hold quarterly meetings and webinar conference calls to further collaborate on the alignment of GTL curriculum and programs aligned with industry needs. Having regional community college CTE programs prepare students as GTL industry skilled workers who will serve as a pipeline for employers is essential for local and global economic growth.
For more information about the CITD and the Global Trade & Logistics Program, please contact Yvonne Reid, MS BA, CITD Director, email: reidy@smccd.edu, telephone: 650-738-7098.
Article by Alina Din | Photo by Petrual “PJ” Shelton
