Attached is a link to the Illinois Workforce Investment Board TDL Task Force Report.

TDL is one of the sectors targeted by the Illinois Workforce Investment Board (and several local workforce areas) as part of our overall regional sector strategies approach to workforce development.

http://www.illinoisbiz.biz/NR/rdonlyres/57E1C9BA-1E83-4EA3-BCB7-3DDDE0DC40D3/0/Trans_Logistaics_FINAL_REPORT_DECEMBER_14.pdf

Interesting article from CIBC World Markets on the effect of rising fuel costs on global trade:

"Will Soaring Transport Costs Reverse Globalization?"

IndustryWeek article on supply chain education partnerships

Global Competition Fosters Supply Chain Education Partnerships

Governor Perdue just announced the creation of a Freight and Logistics Task Force for the state of Georgia:

http://www.dawsontimes.com/news30534/governor-perdue-announces-creation-of-freight-and-.shtml

The article also mentions the Georgia Logistics Innovation Center (LINC), which focuses on forging relationships between business pioneers, technology innovators, university researchers and state and federal leaders in order to connect problem holders and problem solvers:

http://logistics.georgiainnovation.org/

What do you have?

• Arkansas Delta: Apprenticeship program developed, not implemented yet, collaborated with Teamsters to develop.  ADWIRED can share outcomes from this program.
• Arkansas Delta: Developing diesel technology pathway in partnership with Montana State University in Montana WIRED region.
• Arkansas Delta: NSF grant to develop associate's degree in TDL, and bachelor of science degree.  Also joined with DOL/NSF partnership (NSF funded) to help ADWIRED write grant application  for planning grant to develop a national center of excellence in TDL (under Advanced Technology Education program).  Looking to partner with regions across the country to collaborate in this grant -- want to include as many partners as possible.  Will also include the development of national clearinghouse of skill standards for TDL.  Planning process will begin in June.
• Piedmont Triad: Built very strong relationships with educational institutions -- from K-12 to University.  They all agree that logistics is important, and are developing a "regional campus".  Working together to have full articulation agreements between all high schools, community colleges and 4-year schools in the region.
• 39 companies "hurting" for pipeline of workers.  Got grant for $200k from trucking association.  Purchased trucking simulator that schools use to help image problem of the industry.  Put together curriculum.  Just received $400,000 grant to develop...  Put together a "road trip" to have kids/teachers visit sites.
• ADWIRED: State money for truck driver training, connecting recruiting/screening process directly to One Stop system.  One Stops screen and then turn over to training providers.

What do you need?

• How can we join together to go after common resources?
• Item number one is education side of TDL -- how can we work together to share information and best practices in education?
• Money
• People
• Curriculum
• Northern NJ: State Dept. of Education offering small grants to help design programs for particular industry sectors, TDL included.  Began talking to Sunny and Dave about curriculum sharing -- don't reinvent the wheel.
• Moving from warehousing piece to logistics -- logistics is in just about every industry.
• Northern NH: Elephant in the room is efficiency -- we're losing truck drivers because companies simply can't afford to roll (high gas prices, etc.).  We can't be stuck in the same paradigm that we will always be in a petroleum-based economy -- how can we focus on the next technology, increased efficiency, etc.
• We can join collaboratively to engage with other folks that are working on the next paradigm of TDL.  If regions can band together to influence policy, could have great impact.
• Training/education
• Would be helpful if regions were connected to a larger community to demonstrate to companies looking to relocate that they have help.

Next Steps

• Come up with charter -- post online, discuss, hold conference call to finalize, post final
• Competency model/National skill standard clearinghouse: connect ETA competency model work to ADWIRED NSF work to develop a skill standard database
• Specific projects:

TDL CoP Meeting Agenda (31 KB) Here is the agenda for our Community of Practice meeting at the WIRED Academy in Boston.  We will be hearing brief presentations from the Arkansas Delta and Piedmont Triad regions on ongoing activities related to truck driving, diesel technology, and secondary education.  The bulk of our time will be spent discussing the activities/needs of other regions with an interest in TDL, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and determining how to utilize TDLRegions.net as an effective tool for collaboration.

See you in Boston!

So, we are continuing to experiment with ways to encourage everyone to share through blogs and the other features of the TDL Regions site.

When I was in Milwaukee last week, an industry representative gave a talk about a new Water Council that is forming in the Milwaukee 7 Region. He noted, "Knowledge that is not shared has no value."

True enough.

To share knowledge, blogs provide an excellent tool. And it's easy. If you can type, you can blog.

Here's a 4 minute video to show you how easy it is...

There is an interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal titled "Container Shortage Puts U.S. Exports in a Box." 

Many U.S. companies hoping to profit from surging exports created by the weak dollar are facing an unexpected hurdle: There aren't enough of the big, metal shipping containers that help form the backbone of the global economy.

Finding enough of the big metal boxes used to be a cinch, because the nation's massive hunger for imports meant they were constantly arriving and stacking up from Long Beach, Calif., to Long Island, N.Y. Shipping companies typically scoured the country for anyone willing to fill outgoing boxes. But with the slump in the value of the dollar making U.S. goods more attractive to foreign buyers and many overseas economies continuing to hum, the tide has shifted in recent months. Trade figures being released Thursday are expected by many economists to show further growth in exports.

The full article can be found here (subscription required) or on Page B1 of the Print Edition.

This is the Business Week article that Jack Kasarda mentioned in his presentation at the TDL Institute:

Home is Where the Airport Is

Greetings from Northeastern Pennsylvania TDL Career Pathways!! 

Hope all participants from the TDL Institute made it home safely.  We greatly appreciate our time spent with you; have learned new avenues and contacts to pursue.

In the interest of sharing...

Our TDL Career Pathways program specifics can be seen here. 

Sam Liberto, President of ThoughtDrivers, LLC emailed institute participants the NEPA presentation "Wall Street West/Northeast Pennsylvania Region Case Study".   

From our experience, here's what to know if you are just starting out with program identification/establishment:  

Before anything else- put those ducks in order: 

• Establish your "legs of the stool"-  whom do you need on board to support your cause?
• Formulate a first class team; making sure to select all need areas/ are "forward-thinkers"/ are empowered to act.
• Conduct industry-specific research; asset mapping/SWOT analysis.   
• Our example: Career Ladder for the NEPA TDL Industry Partnership/ Download a copy here. 
• Identify educational providers for timely offerings, remembering curriculums are set up well in advance of rollout. 

Expect challenges...and be prepared with creative solutions!   

We are encouraged by the diversity of institute participants & the knowledge there for the taking; look forward to regular blogging. 

At the TDL conference, a great panel was presented on talent development from an education perspective.  Bryan Albrecht, President of Gateway Technical College, shared his exuberance and excellence for partnering on technical education.  You will enjoy this short interview with Bryan as he talked with Pam Pryor.  For more information, check out his website: http://www.gtc.edu/

Click the play button below to listen to the interview