American Society of Transportation & Logistics Inc.

Providing crucial link between employers and job seekers

New recruits and international partners acknowledge ASTL’s important role as a rung up the ladder of success by certifying professional members

Mark Holmes remembers when he first joined the society as a new member in 1996. “I was young at the time, with just ten years of work experience behind me, and I was recruited by Sam Watts –he had a CTL (Certified in Transportation and Logistics),” tells Holmes, vice-president of global solutions at OHL. “Sam convinced me that adding the certification would be helpful as I wanted to move up in the company in the area of logistics and supply chain,” says Holmes. “That’s what really convinced me –certainly the networking was a big thing—but certification was really what brought me in through this gentleman,” says Holmes who is now chairman of the American Society of Transportation & Logistics, an international certifying organizational body for professionals.

Society founded in World-War II era

Founded in 1946 by a group of industry leaders, the American Society of Transportation & Logistics (ASTL) insures a high level of professionalism and promotes continuing education in the specialized field of transportation and logistics. The well-respected, industry acknowledged certification program also dubbed by those-in-the-know as ‘CTL’ (stands for Certified in Transportation and Logistics) began in 1948. ASTL's mission is to facilitate education and certification in the fields of transportation, logistics, and supply chain management.

Membership going global

ASTL's membership of shippers, carriers, educators, students, consultants and third-party logistics individuals are dedicated to continuing education and are committed to raising the professional standards in the industry.

Executive director Laurie Denham says membership is now 10 per cent international which is a new trend since 2002. North American members are spread throughout the United States and Canada with a heavier concentration in Texas, Florida, the Northeast and Midwest. However, the concentration of international memberships is currently in China. Because many of the member dues are paid by their companies, Denham says, membership numbers have been dropping since January of this year. “But we are now seeing a leveling off and membership is more stable,” says Denham adding there has been an increasing trend over the past two months of individuals applying for our certification programs. “Individuals realize the value of the CTL and PLS in a tough job market,” echoes the executive director.

---A matter of identifying areas of improvement in profession, and fixing them ---

According to chairman Holmes, business and technology logistical practices that are not optimal. That’s where the society steps in to raise the bar, so to speak. “Our certification programs and studying materials for those exams prepare the individual to “think” through or avoid those issues.  For example it may we deal with redesigning sub-optimal networks and the tools to do this,” says Holmes adding the example of optimizing pallets in ocean containers to improve cost per case.  There is also the issue of certain types of insurance, says Holmes, to avoid major losses in ocean shipments that few logistics professionals would think of. Another role the society plays is in acting as a change agent. That is instituting changes that cross-over other business units and functions within the company, says Holmes.  “We find that procurement is still behind in understanding the link to logistical efficiencies and the need to work together,” says Holmes adding that is why there are specific topics covered the modules in the certification exams.  “Our Board of Examiners ensures that we are meeting current and future supply chain and logistical challenges and is made up of what I believe is the very best of educators and institutions,” says Holmes. But other global forces have a strong influence on the organization.

Global forces and partners

Global forces such as the increased cost in the oil and gas industries and an unsettled geopolitical situation overseas have had an impact on the organization’s members. “In fact, we have seen a significant increase in organizations looking for our certification programs to help logistical and non-logistics individuals think outside the box and bring a strong fundamental logistics program to those individuals to help them challenge current practices,” says Holmes.

Now, the organization has turned its attention to the Asian market for future partnerships. “It started with a partnership with a Chinese based association in Beijing. In 2007 an Asian National CTL member of ASTL, Chung Tam moved to Beijing, becoming the ASTL Chief Representative and opening the ASTL-China office. Mr. Tam now oversees both the CTL and PLS (Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management) South East Asia programs.  Our executive director Laurie Denham is there with him now because ASTL received a grant from the US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration to develop a new certification, Global Logistics Manager (GLM) for the SE Asian market. In addition, the CTL and PLS certification programs are offered in India through KnoWerX Education and is expanding to Singapore by the end of the year sponsored by with the Singapore Shippers Council.

Change in the sails

Bearing the brut end of the stick of the economic storm last year, the organization re-evaluated its focus and providing support to its members through social networking and by posting jobs regularly ultimately, providing a crucial link between job seekers and employers. Besides being educated or having experience there are other things job seekers, he says, must consider. “One is how to brand and market themselves to a HR department to a company,” says the chairman of AST&L which is also morphing into somewhat of platform for networking. Simply because the organization is so well connected, says Holmes, and that in turn will hopefully will increase our visibility and grow our organization. But he admits to a significant shift in the direction of the organization’s compass from being very career-focused to becoming almost like a change agent. “It used to very much career related …but significant change has been toward…really a broader focus from a knowledge standpoint from how to make change in the supply chain… how to go from the tactical to something more broader from an educational standpoint,” reflects Holmes adding it is also who the organization pairs up to work with from educational institution to shippers and supply chain companies. Additionally, ASTL has partnered with various universities and community colleges that offer classes from lean logistics to risk management in addition to full –length degree programs which have incorporated ASTL’s certification process into the curriculum. “So at the end of two years, not only do they graduate with a degree but also a certification that hopefully, differentiates themselves in the market,” says Holmes. “That is a big change that has been a big focus and will continue to be in continuing years.” It is also a key for many job seekers in the industry looking to fill the gap on their skills set, as a means of re-tooling.

Strategy Plan

> Successfully implement the United States Department of Commerce grant with our AST&L-China office to develop a Global Logistics Management certification program in China to further logistics education and credibility with its businesses and academic institutions.

> Partner with CSCMP , APICS , WERC and other premier associations to provide certification programs to its membership.

> Expand within North American the CTL and PLS programs to Community Colleges that meet our standards.

> Revise and add CTL modules to reflect current economic trends. Most notably we currently added three new modules: Finance/Risk Management; Warehouse Management and Lean Logistics.

> Ensure our Board of Examiners and Transportation Journal editors are “fresh” with ideas and ability to “brand” our name and certification programs with emphasis on “AST&L intellectual property”.

> Increase marketing efforts to increase awareness of AST&L and its certification programs in all global regions in which AST&L has presence.

ASTL offers members the following services: 

·         provides global networking of logistical and supply chain professionals from industry, consulting, military and prominent educational institutions

·         provides the Transportation Journal for an in-depth perspective on current transportation/logistical issues

·         provides the only global industry recognized transportation and logistics certification programs

 

Future plans to team up with collaborative partners

In this time of economic difficulty, the organization will be continuing its quest to find collaborative partners worldwide as part of its strategy plan. “We do partner with those who want to follow our principles of education and information sharing instead of revenue-focused,” says Holmes. “We are selective in who we partner with but others are coming on board and joining us.”

For more information on industry events, certification programs or membership information please visit www.astl.org. To read more about the ASTL-China branch, check out: www.astl-china.org/.

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