Educators give 'Follow the Container' a thumbs-up
By Mary Carr Mayle
Created 2011-02-09 00:19
Educators endorse field trip expected to draw high school students from around area
Summary:
A group of business and vocational educators set out to "follow the container" Tuesday morning at Georgia Ports' Garden City Terminal. They watched as large ship-to-shore cranes unloaded containers from the recently berthed APL Tourmaline, depositing each one onto a chassis for transport. They followed along as trucks hauling the containers moved through the terminal, out the gates and onto the road, learning about the steps required in the process. The group wound up at Port City Logistics, some four miles down the road, where Port City's Billy Robinson offered an insider's look at what happens to a container once it reaches his distribution center. By lunchtime, all agreed they had learned a lot - the benchmark of a successful field trip - about Savannah's port and the industries that surround it. And they knew what they wanted their students to get out of successive "follow the container" field trips - the understanding that our area's logistics industry is a virtual smorgasbord of career opportunities.” "We want them to realize that port-related logistics careers are more than the obvious crane operator/truck driver positions, although those are there as well," said Mark Rogan, project leader for Georgia Work Ready's Coastal Logistics Region.
The "Follow the Container" field trip is the brainchild of Rogan, Freightliner Trucks sales rep David Mihuta and Port City sales and marketing manager Robert Dowd. Its purpose is two-fold. "First, we want to give high school students a look into the world of logistics in and around our area," said Mihuta, who is also president of the Savannah Traffic Club. "Our second objective is to help interested students focus on a particular area of logistics and design an educational plan that will get them there," he said.
The dozen or so educators represented a variety of districts - from Savannah-Chatham to Richmond Hill, Effingham County to Golden Isles in Brunswick. They were business teachers, principals and career counselors. All agreed the field trip would be a perfect way to introduce the career pathway curriculum in logistics, which will be offered in classrooms around the state beginning in the fall of 2012. Rhonda Griffith, a business instructor at Richmond Hill High School, expects to be teaching the curriculum. "It's great to get a first-hand look at what kinds of positions are actually out there," she said. Griffith and other educators offered suggestions on ways the field trip experience could be enhanced for their students.
For example, they suggested a chart listing potential careers also include a salary range for each job and an overview of the certifications and other education needed to compete for the position. They also talked about the importance of internships and work-study components. Now that "Follow the Container" has received consensus approval, what's next? "We'll refine the program, incorporating the suggestions we received today," Rogan said. "We'll work with the various school districts to formulate bus schedules and best times. "Then we'll be ready for the kids."
'We want to give high school students a look into the world of logistics, then help interested students focus in on a particular area and design an educational plan that will get them there.' said David Mihuta.