"Distance learning" fills a growing need

By William J. Augello Esq. -- Logistics Management, 6/1/2000

We have come a long way since Arthur Arsham and his wife started the Academy of Advanced Traffic 77 years and 84,000 students ago to provide formal education in transportation, or "traffic," as we referred to it then. Those were the days when many of us worked in industrial traffic departments, checking rates, auditing freight bills, filing tariff supplements to hundreds of rail and motor tariffs, filing loss and damage claims, etc. At night we took traffic-management courses in preparation for the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) Practitioners Exam, which was reputed to be a very tough examination. One of my friends always contended that I took the "easy" route to practicing before the ICC by going to law school instead of taking the Practitioners Exam!

How do our young transportation and logistics professionals obtain their education and training today? If they are fortunate enough to attend a college or university that offers transportation or logistics courses, they can obtain a solid grasp of the theories of supply chain management, transportation, and logistics. Those who are unable to do so often rely on local community college courses, occasional transportation seminars, such as those offered by the Transportation Consumer Protection Council, or on-the-job training. However, corporate downsizing, outsourcing, and budget restrictions on travel and education are making it more difficult for most employees to leave their desks for several days at a time. (Some even fear there will be no job for them when they return.)

So what is the solution? For many people, "distance learning" appears to be the most practical means of acquiring needed training. The Institute of Logistical Management (ILM), the successor to the Academy of Advanced Traffic, is betting that distance learning courses in transportation and logistics will be the wave of the future. The institute's administration believes the recent report in The Wall Street Journal that by 2010, 15 percent of college students will never set foot on a college campus to obtain their degrees.

That's why ILM is offering a Certified Logistics Practitioner certificate as well as credits toward a college degree through Thomas Edison State College. Thomas Edison, which was named one of the nation's top "Cyber Universities" in 1997 by Forbes Magazine, extends credits toward a bachelor of science in business administration degree with a concentration in logistics for ILM's courses. Thomas Edison also accepts credits earned at other regionally accredited colleges. ILM's courses, meanwhile, have been recommended for credit by the American Council on Education.

ILM uses the same texts that are used in other universities to teach transportation and logistics. It also uses materials that teach the fundamental skills that are needed for real-world applications. All this without leaving your office or home!

Interested students can obtain information about these courses and tuition by calling Dean Frank Breslin at (888) ILM-4600, by visiting ILM's Web page (www.logistics-edu.com), or by sending an e-mail query to ILOGM@aol.com. It could be the best career investment you will ever make.

William J. Augello Esq.