Dive Brief:

• The Beacon Council’s Trade and Logistics Committee in South Florida is creating opportunities for low-income/neglected communities to engage in the Miami-Dade logistics scene, the Miami-Herald reported.
• High school students in Miami Central High, Ronald Reagan High, and Miami Killian High are being encouraged to join trade and logistics programs. Interested students are taught with an eye toward a career in logistics and will be hirable and desirable candidates after graduation.
• The program opens a door for economic prosperity and change, while seeking to make South Florida as a leader in the industry with homegrown logisticians.

​Dive Insight:

At the same time many colleges and universities are implementing supply chain and logistics degrees, those within the industry are looking at ways to find their replacement — albeit perhaps at the opportunity cost of their own professional development.

The industry is changing due to trends like globalization and new technology, such as Big Data platforms, and the change could be overwhelming for some. Current professionals would have to actively learn new skills, a daunting task for a workforce where 25 to 33% is at or past retirement age. That's not to say it's impossible: this is the generation that taught itself excel, and new technology platforms are emphasizing a user-experience far more intuitive than legacy ERPs. Yet, it's unsurprising if some would rather train, and step aside for, a new generation of university graduates trained specifically in supply chain. 

Yet, with high school training programs growing, the fact is that not everyone needs an advanced degree to compete for a job within the supply chain. Sure, specialized training is required, but becoming employable is by no means dependent on statistical analysis skills only. The Beacon Council's initiative in Miami-Dade is just one example for the business community's willingness to train and recruit locally. 

Regardless, there's room for both strategies within an industry that's simultaneously expanding in scope and shrinking in staff.