The designations between community college sectors do not always translate to the working world, and cross-sector collaboration is essential for preparing students to thrive in an interconnected world.
A recent project led by Katie Mishler, ATL Regional Director in Los Angeles, demonstrates the benefits of this collaboration to students and employers.
Mishler worked with colleagues in Business and Entrepreneurship and Global Trade to create a look book for employers in the supply chain industry who want to connect with community college programs and resources. The book was distributed to more than 30 attendees at a supply chain regional advisory meeting earlier this year that included representatives from the Port of Los Angeles, Northrop Grumman and American Airlines.
Supply chain is one of many examples of a career path that involves multiple sectors. Mishler was able to build upon existing relationships with colleagues in Global Trade and Business and Entrepreneurship in her region, as well as with the Los Angeles Economic Development Council and the Center for Competitive Workforce.
“It makes perfect sense to leverage our efforts, as we have many areas of intersection within our three sectors,” Mishler said. “Employers enjoyed being able to see the programs for logistics/supply chain across the county at a glance, that also included appropriate contact information for department chairs—making continued engagement afterwards much easier.”
Moving forward, Mishler hopes to continue this collaboration by scaling partnerships to larger employers and working across sectors to determine hiring needs in specific industries like port operations and logistics.
Click here to download the Look Book.