Houston remains one of the leading shipping and distribution centers of the world, and it is no surprise that there is strong demand for people with training in supply chain management, also known as international business and logistics (IBUS).
San Jacinto College offers a one-year occupational certificate, and a two-year associate degree program in IBUS and IBUS Maritime and Logistics Specialty.
The programs prepare students for careers in the international shipping business, global logistics, and supply chain management. Students learn about import and export management, documentation and contracts, U.S. trade regulations, legal principles in the shipping business, and international marketing strategies. The training prepares students for careers in equipment and personnel logistics, supply chain management industries, and maritime transportation management.
Students gain valuable hands-on work experience through internships at logistics and maritime companies in the greater Houston area. Students also gain important job connections through extracurricular class activities. For example, IBUS student Ivan Richardson attended the Breakbulk Americas conference in downtown Houston as part the San Jacinto College IBUS program, and that experience became a defining moment for him in regards to a career choice. “At the conference, I learned about the tremendous potential there is in the breakbulk area of international logistics, and made some key connections with key industry representatives,” Richardson commented. “Because of that, I plan to start my own heavy machinery transport business. The business will handle transporting the really large loads (both domestic and international), the kind that require police escorts, traffic diversions, etc. I work for YRC Freight (the company that resulted from the merger of Yellow Freight and Roadway Express), so I am familiar with some aspects of trucking, but I became fascinated with all of the detailed logistics involved in transporting the really large loads.”
Unlike some career fields that are downsizing, the IBUS sector is robust, and the future looks bright. The U.S. Labor Department estimates employment to increase by 25.5 percent between 2010 and 2020.
Logistics management offers career flexibility, excellent salaries, upward mobility, and worldwide opportunities – from loading dock to the boardroom. And IBUS careers are not likely to be moved offshore, and so typically provide a sense of security.
Supply chain management involves many aspects of business, from the procurement of raw materials, through the manufacturing process, all the way to distribution to consumers. To excel, workers need talent, organization, versatility, and good problem-solving skills, but they are rewarded by global jobs that are challenging and interesting.
The global nature of the business attracted San Jacinto College student Viktoriya Kauffman to logistics. “I am multilingual (Russian, Ukrainian, English), which is a big plus in an international business,” commented Kauffman, a native of Russia who grew up in Odessa, Ukraine. “I chose logistics because it is a high demand career field and one that encompasses so many areas, such as procurement, purchasing, trade compliance, import/export regulations, international business management, marketing, distribution, and so on.”
Kauffman recently earned an associate degree from San Jacinto College, and transferred to the University of Houston to earn a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management. Her ultimate career goal is to find a logistics position
with a major corporation such as Exxon Mobil, Halliburton, or Schlumberger.
Rob Vanya