By Marco Negrete
Staff Writer
Cal State Dominguez Hills, Los Angeles Harbor College and the Port of Los Angeles signed an agreement Aug. 10 that should be of interest for students who want to pursue high-paying jobs in the logistics industry.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) creates internship opportunities for students from both colleges in the Port of Los Angeles.
The goal: prepare students for new, emerging trends in port operations.
“As part of the MOU, (the) Port of Los Angeles will offer 10 paid internships for CSUDH and CBAPP students,” said Joseph Wen, dean of the College of Business Administration and Public Policy at Dominguez.
To apply, he said, students can make an appointment with Jeanna Trammell, CBAPP internship coordinator.
The program is taking signups starting this semester.
Conversations between CSUDH President Willie Hagan and Port Executive Director Gene Seroka began in fall 2015. It took about nine months to reach the agreement that created the internship program.
“Los Angeles is a major logistics city with an international airport, and the two busiest ports in the country,” Wen said, referring to the joint Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex. “Partnering with the Port of Los Angeles would be great for the university, since our students will have access to internship and career opportunities there, the port will also be an excellent resource for speakers in the classroom.”
Both Harbor College and Dominguez Hills will provide undergraduate global logistics courses. The colleges will be in contact with the POLA on an annual basis to stay informed on new updates referring to global logistics.
“The logistics field is growing rapidly in the U.S. because organizations need logisticians to analyze and coordinate the efficient transportation of goods in a global economy,” Wen said. “According to a recent report by JPMorgan Chase on ‘Strengthening Los Angeles’, global trade and logistics is one of two fields with strong middle-skill job opportunities.”
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are known for high-paying blue- and white-collar work.
The deal makes CSUDH one of the universities in Southern California producing global logistics students with the goal of making CSUDH a bridge to employment in global logistics.
