PCC Now Accepting Registrations for New AS and AAS Degree Programs in Supply Chain Management

Detailed Information on Supply Chain Management Program

07/08/2008: Polk Community College is now accepting registrations for new Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree programs designed to provide workers with advanced training for high-paying jobs in Florida’s rapidly-expanding supply chain management and logistics industries.

PCC is one of two community colleges in Florida offering the degree programs that were developed by the Employ Florida Banner Center for Logistics and Distribution in cooperation with leaders of the state’s supply chain and logistics industries. The other school is Lake City Community College in Lake City.

“We are excited to be one of the first two community colleges in Florida to give people an opportunity to pursue these new AS and AAS degree programs. They enable workers to obtain the education and credentials needed to command high-paying jobs in logistics and supply chain management, while providing our industry partners with a much-needed pool of well-trained, highly-skilled employees,” said PCC President Dr. Eileen Holden.

The degree programs include six targeted courses titled “Introduction to Supply Chain Management,” “Warehouse Management,” “Transportation & Distribution,” “Principles of Quality Management,” “Purchasing & Inventory Management” and “Operations Management;” nine Keystone courses; and electives in business and computer technology. Most of the courses offered through the degree program and at the PCC Corporate College will be led by experts from the logistics and distribution industries.

The AS and AAS degree programs evolved from a series of focus groups involving Florida Banner Center personnel, community college/university partners and industry leaders from all over Florida. The degree programs complement basic training courses already in place at PCC and the other participating community colleges, which collectively have trained thousands of workers for logistics, distribution and warehousing positions over the past two years.

According to the Employ Florida Banner Center, the average annual wage in Florida’s logistics and distribution sector is $48,669, as opposed to $36,804 in industry in general. Well trained workers in this sector can command an hourly wage of up to $54 and the industry needs 11,000 men and women to meet current and future needs.

To register or obtain more information on the new AS and AAS degree programs being offered at PCC, call Maria Lehoczky at 863-669-2896. In Polk County, officials of the Florida Banner Center, PCC and economic development agencies collaborated with industry leaders to launch PCC’s Supply Chain Management Institute last summer. Since its inception, the certificate-granting entity has trained hundreds of people for jobs in Polk County’s supply chain industry.

“PCC is proud to be meeting the very special training needs of one of the fastest growing components of Florida’s economy through its Supply Chain Management Institute,” Dr. Holden said. “We thank the Florida Banner Center for the role it played in making the Institute a reality and huge success. This is a classic example of the great things that can be accomplished when the public and private sectors work together for the common good.”

For information on PCC’s Supply Chain Management Institute, contact Wayne Kline at wkline@polk.edu or 863-669--2820. For more information. 

* * *

Established late in 2006, the Employ Florida Banner Center specializes in developing curriculum, training and certification resources for Florida’s manufacturing production workforce and contributing to the expansion of the state’s diverse manufacturing industries.

The Employ Florida Banner Center is a consortium of community colleges, workforce investment boards, regional manufacturers associations, economic development agencies and manufacturers in a five county region of Florida. Working in cooperation with Workforce Florida, the Banner Center prepares people for jobs in a wide range of industries.

For more information on the Employ Florida Banner Center and the new AS and AAS degree programs, call 386-754-4492.