Ivy Tech Kokomo classes to prepare students for Supply Chain Management jobs; program kicks off Aug. 2

 Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo is kicking off a series of classes in August that will prepare graduates to move directly into jobs in the supply chain and logistics field. The part-time Supply Chain Management program is also geared to benefit current employees interested in moving up in their careers.

“Thanks to Indiana’s central location and access to global markets, supply chain and logistics are two of the state’s biggest industries,” said Laura Hapner, interim vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “With the news filled with ‘supply chain issues’ – cargo ships filling harbors, orders being delayed, prices rising, the leadership of Ivy Tech Kokomo is excited to offer a program that can prepare people in our area to help meet the challenges.”

She noted the 21-credit-hour program is covered under Indiana’s Next Level Jobs program, which pays the cost of tuition and fees for qualifying students who seek an Ivy Tech certificate in Supply Chain Management. The program addresses the movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, analysis and finished goods. Students are able to study and get familiar with the high technologies and information systems used to track goods and increase efficiencies in distribution.

Registration is now open for the first eight-week course in the program, Introduction to Logistics, which will begin Aug. 25. The course will include face-to-face instruction on Ivy Tech’s Kokomo Campus Thursday evenings for eight weeks blended with online work each week. Along with three college credits, students who successfully complete this class will earn two nationally recognized industry certifications issued through the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council – the Certified Logistics Assistant and the Certified Logistics Technician. The second eight-week course, Logistics Quality and Lean Manufacturing, begins in October.

“We have outlined a part-time program that can be completed one course at a time over seven eight-week sessions,” Hapner said. These include courses in Microsoft Excel, procurement, and supply chain and operations management, along with a logistics internship.

“Along the way, students earn additional industry certifications in Microsoft Office Excel and Certified Procurement Operations Specialist,” she said. “Those who follow the planned pathway will graduate in December 2024 with an Ivy Tech certificate in Supply Chain Management. These credentials can be very valuable to current employees who want to move up in the field as well.”

Hapner said Todd Baker, a global strategic sourcing/supply chain executive with nearly 30 years in the field, has been hired to teach the courses and help build the program. A group of area employers will serve as an advisory board.

“Added value for students in this program is instruction from veterans in supply chain management and the opportunity to meet and work with potential employers as they move through classes,” she said. Baker holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri and a Master of Engineering Management degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Hapner also noted that the certificate is part of a full program of “stackable” credits. Graduates of the certificate program can go on to earn technical certificates and associate degrees in Supply Chain Management/Logistics at Ivy Tech and can then continue into bachelor degree programs at colleges and universities.

For more information on the program, including a three-minute video describing the variety of jobs in the industry, go to Ivy Tech Supply Chain Management page at ivytech.edu/supply-chain/ . For information on registering for classes, contact Ivy Tech Kokomo Enrollment Services at 765-459-0561 or email Kokomo-enrollment@ivytech.edu.