Kidd: Developing Education for Tomorrow's Project Professionals
Margaret Kidd, program director, supply chain & logistics technology, University of Houston
The Covid-19 pandemic has actively disrupted global economies and trade. Within the chaos has come several bright spots, as lockdown restrictions have been lifted within some national borders. However, there remain hot spots where draconian lockdown measures are still occurring. We witnessed these lockdowns in the summer at the ports of Ningbo and Shenzhen, and, as I write, in Vietnam. Expanding vaccination rates, as well as access to vaccines in middle income and less-developed countries will assist in resolving some disruptions.
The challenges that existed during Covid-19 and that lie on the horizon for both containers and project cargo continue to be about lack of critical components, temporary closure of manufacturing, blank sailings, lack of equipment and workers, cargo visibility, port congestion, capital funding budgets, change in demand patterns and ever-growing environmental accountability. All these challenges lead to the need for a digital transformation of the engineering, procurement and construction and project cargo sectors, along with filling the educational gaps of the workforce of the future.
The voices of corporate shareholders emphasizing environmental, social and governance in the oil and gas sector, as well as in the EPC, shipping, and port sectors, are being heard, highlighting the need for energy transition. This aligns with the current Biden Administration and global climate initiatives. As a result, one bright spot in global infrastructure spending has been on renewable energy, such as offshore wind. In response to the nascent offshore energy sector in the U.S. and in response to the need of integration of technology within our regional workforce development efforts, the Supply Chain & Logistics Technology Program at University of Houston has made two substantive thrusts.
The first is to better prepare our students for a globalized and digital future. Here, my colleague Al Henson has integrated Geographical Information Systems online introductory training into his Q3 courses. Students are using ArcGIS Online to analyze big data for decision-making related to real-time situational awareness; forecasting longitudinally and futuristically; understanding trends and patterns; setting priorities; route optimization; and distribution center locations.
The second is the launch of two specialized certifications credentialed by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, involving logistics for Capital Project and Offshore Wind Energy. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.: “Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it—but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” University of Houston students are that ship.
