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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe region’s biggest logistics training facility will receive a $2.9 million grant from the federal departments of labor and education.
Vincennes’ logistics training center in Plainfield. (IBJ Photo/ Perry Reichanadter)Vincennes University plans to use the money to bulk up its logistics training and education center on the corner of Stafford Road and Ronald Reagan Parkway, in Plainfield.
The 30,000-square-foot facility has become a focus of the industry’s efforts to find a ready supply of qualified workers. Vincennes offers an associate’s-degree program as well as industry-recognized credentials at its hands-on facility.
Vincennes said the grant will allow it to embed industry-recognized certifications into components of its curriculum, citing a “substantial middle-skills gap” in central Indiana.
“VU will partner with the public work-force system to assess skill levels, refer participants to the LTEC program, and connect participants with employers,” Vincennes President Dick Helton said.
Other higher learning institutions have also been focusing more on logistics. For example, Harrison College launched an associate’s degree program last year, with input from industry leaders, including Coca Cola. Ivy Tech Community College also has an offering, which is being expanded.
In Indiana, more than 250,000 people work in warehouses/distribution centers, transportation companies and freight management firms. The state ranks ninth in per capita logistics employment, according to industry trade group Conexus Indiana.•
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