New Educational Programs for Maritime Employees

New Educational Programs for Maritime Employees

The vibrant waterways of New York and New Jersey are a source for hundreds of thousands of jobs, and more than 58 percent of firms, according to the 2019 Shared Harbor Survey, are looking for employees.

Ongoing education and training are essential for employees and employers of the maritime transportation, logistics, and distribution (TLD) industry, and the New York and New Jersey region offers a diverse collection of educational opportunities. Skill gaps make it difficult for employers to identify the right talent New programs developed by two Council on Port Performance Workforce Development partners, Union County College and NJMEP,  provide clear pathways into the TLD industry, allowing employees to advance their careers and helping businesses hire a workforce that will sustain the TLD industry as it evolves. The following programs are available this spring:

  • An International Freight Forwarding certificate program developed by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA)will be offered in April for the first time at Union County College’s Elizabeth campus. Located near the Port of Newark/Elizabeth, the college pioneered a Talent Development Center for TLD employer companies in the TLD industry look to the college as a recruiting resource for skilled entry and mid-level staff. The 50-hour continuing education program covers International Transportation and Trade and Essentials of Freight Forwarding. After successful completion of two exams, students earn a certificate of completion from CIFFA and Union County College.
  • Union County College also offers a concentration in Supply Chain as part of an Associate Degree in Business and a non-credit occupational training program, Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management, which trains unemployed and incumbent workers toward earning the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) SCPro Fundamentals Certification in four subject areas. For more information on this and the Freight Forwarding programs contact: Nancy Burke at [email protected] or visit www.ucc.edu/ibi.
  • A resource for the supply chain industry, the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP), is a hub for employers in the manufacturing industry. The Registered Logistics Technician Apprenticeship, offered through the NJMEP Pro-Action Education Network, is one-year program designed to complement NJMEP’s existing group of apprenticeships—Industrial Manufacturing Production Technician (IMPT), Technical Sales Representative, IMPT Food, and IMPT machinist. The program addresses core technical competencies of higher skilled, front-line material handling and distribution workers in all supply chain facilities, helping them develop the skills needed to perform as technicians. The program involves 2,000 hours of paid, on-the-job training and classroom training hours with no educational costs for the student. For more information contact: www.njmep.org. 
  • The NJMEP is also offering the Storage and Distribution Managers Apprenticeship, granting participants with on job training in an array of areas ranging from customer service, demand planning to supply chain security. The term of the apprenticeship is with an on-the-job training attainment of 1,810 hours, supplemented by the minimum required 190 hours of related instruction. The related instruction teaches apprentices the science and theory behind their daily duties with the designated hours comprised of the equivalent of 4 hours per week when school is in session. The apprentice is paid by the employer to attend. For more information contact: www.njmep.org. 

These programs are designed to strengthen workforce pipelines and help advance Council on Port Performance Workforce Development goals to match employer hiring needs with local talent.