Chattanooga Works: Future Freight Brokers Start Here

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Center for Professional Education (CPE) is launching a new workforce education program to develop the next generation of freight brokers in Tennessee. Starting in January, the CPE’s Freight Broker Professional Program will take students through a 13-week training course designed to equip them with the sales tactics, industry knowledge and social competencies needed to succeed in this competitive field.

“When you hear folks talk about building a more resilient supply chain that’s less prone to disruption, I’ve come to believe firmly that the logistics industry and these freight brokers that we’re going to train are going to be an instrumental part of making sure that our supply chains remain resilient,” John Freeze, Director, of UTC’s Center for Professional Education says.

Led by a group of industry professionals within the CPE’s instructor network, this program offers an inside look into the freight broker industry; from the history of transportation to the role third-party logistics providers (3PLs) play in today’s supply chains.

Listen to Trend’s exclusive interview with Freeze and the Center for Professional Education below:

The course was created in partnership with the Transportation Intermediaries Association, a professional trade association dedicated to advancing the needs of 3PL professionals. The CPE also partnered with local 3PL providers to ensure the curriculum meets local industry needs.

Steam Logistics is among the dozen partners that signed on as early supporters of this program. As Malcolm Harris of Steam Logistics explains, the company sees this partnership as a victory for both them and the region.

“Chattanooga is the Silicone Valley of freight and logistics; to be able to have a program that’s directly teaching something that is going to impact economic development so much within the next three to five years — and making it accessible for everyone — I think that’s invaluable and it should be on the minds of everybody just how significant something like this truly is,” Harris says.

After completing the Freight Professionals Program, candidates may be eligible for tuition reimbursements, sign-on bonuses and post-course job opportunities through Steam and other partnering companies including BlueGrace Logistics, Trident Transport and U.S. Express.

With the ongoing expansion of its headquarters inside the John Ross Building, Steam Logistics is ready to meet its goal of bringing an estimated 400 new jobs to Hamilton County.

“We really look for an entrepreneurial attitude. Somebody that’s going to come in and really be driven to get what they can on their own drive. We have an environment and a culture that feeds that… we really look for people that are self-motivated and are ready to knock it out of the ballpark from the moment they hit the seats,” Heather Williams, VP of Client Success and Broker Development, Steam Logistics says.

Listen to Trend’s exclusive interview with Williams and Harris of Steam Logistics below:

Learn more about the CPE Freight Broker Professionals Program, here.

Learn more about Steam Logistics, here.

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This article has been updated after its original publishing date on December 21, 2022.