NKU President Ashish Vaidya and Tri-State Logistics Council President Daniel Ricciardi sign the partnership agreement to create the Supply Chain and Logistics Hub on NKU's campus.
May 15, 2019— Northern Kentucky University, in partnership with the Tri-State Logistics Council (TLC), launches the Supply Chain and Logistics Hub to address a workforce need in the region. The hub brings together the Haile/US Bank College of Business’ Global Supply Chain Management Program and TLC to connect students’ capabilities with industry jobs.
NKU’s recently unveiled Success by Design, a strategic framework that identified the university’s singular focus on advancing student success aligned with the needs of the region. The framework identifies three pillars of student success—access, completion, and career and community engagement.
The Supply Chain and Logistics Hub is a place where NKU students can network for future internships and job opportunities while earning their degree. TLC will operate out of the hub, currently located in the Business Academic Center Room 319, giving students the opportunity to interact with its members from the transportation and logistics industries, governmental agencies, community groups and affiliated agencies.
"This is an outstanding example of a public-private partnership that benefits everyone involved,” said NKU President Ashish Vaidya. “Housing the Council on NKU’s campus will create an environment for collaboration and innovation, where faculty, staff and students will partner alongside industry leaders to address issues and opportunities for regional prosperity.”
Industry studies estimate by 2020 there will be one qualified candidate for every six Supply Chain related jobs. This industry need drove NKU to establish the Global Supply Chain Management degree program two years ago. The program has seen incredible growth in that time, going from two students in 2017 to more than 40 this year.
NKU students tour a 747 during DHL's midnight sort.
“NKU has the only four-year degree program in supply chain and logistics within the region, so it stands out as an excellent partner for this initiative,” said Paul Verst, Tri-State Logistics Council board member. “Our members, which represent more than 10,000 employees, are telling us their businesses are booming, but they can’t find the talent. We want to support that need.”
The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region is within an eight-hour drive of 70 percent of the nation’s GDP and close to the four major modes of transportation: air, water, rail and road. This gives the region a geographic advantage and NKU students a great opportunity.
“All aspects of supply chain and logistics are represented by the TLC member companies, and our students will have exposure to many different career options, helping them determine the best path,” said Mark Thackeray, director of NKU’s Global Supply Chain Management degree program.
The Supply Chain and Logistics Hub will develop students to fit the industry’s needs through joint development of mentoring programs, internships, senior design projects, and student-industry networking and educational events. Thackeray says they are looking for a larger space on campus, so it can also serve as an industry gathering place for meetings and certification training for the community.
“The NKU and TLC partnership complements and supports the Northern Kentucky Tri-ED work to create and grow a regional supply chain innovation cluster in partnership with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development’s Office of Entrepreneurship. This vibrant supply chain innovation cluster will be home to innovative startup and early stage companies where NKU graduates and other talent will be employed in our region,” said Lee Crume, President and CEO of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED.
For more information on NKU’s Global Supply Chain Management degree program, visit its website.
About the Tri-State Logistics Council (TLC): TLC is a non-profit organization that represents businesses in the transportation and logistics industries, affiliated firms that provide goods and services, government agencies, community organizations, and educational institutions. The TLC takes in a 27-county region in Dayton, Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southwestern Indiana. The TLC will work with members to spur regional economic development, create jobs, and invest in infrastructure and education to drive growth in logistics, transportation, supply chain and construction resources. Visit the website: tristatelogisticscouncil.com.
About NKU: Founded in 1968, we are a growing metropolitan university of more than 14,000 students served by more than 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati. Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Kentucky—just seven miles southeast of Cincinnati—we have become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students' names. For more information, visit nku.edu.
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