The Quad-City region, located on the Mississippi River in western Illinois and eastern Iowa, is comprised of a population of nearly 750,000. Based on its proximity to Interstates 80, 88 and 74, the region is an integral national gateway for major industry, manufacturing, distribution, 3PLs and other supply chain providers.

The region is populated with many major manufacturers as well as distribution and inbound logistics centers. These industries are served by national truckload and LTL carriers, barge operators and Class 1 railroads. Based on its proximity to Chicago, there is excellent intermodal service. National, regional and local 3PLs and warehousing operations support industries such as Deere & Co., Alcoa, the Rock Island Arsenal, Nestle Purina, Maytag/Whirlpool, Caterpillar and many others.

Furthering the region’s economic growth has been a primary effort of the Quad City Development Group. It has focused its attention on

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four primary industries: advanced manufacturing, food processing, information technology and logistics. To develop each of these industry targets, roundtables have been established.

The Logistics Industr y Roundtable for the Quad City Development Group consists of specific industry partners—manufacturers, motor carriers, rail operations, barge lines and 3PLs—as well as representatives from other government entities like the Chamber of Commerce partners, Iowa DOT and Bi-State Regional Commission, to name a few. Most recently, there has been representation from local community colleges and the Western Illinois University (WIU), Quad Cities campus, in Moline, Ill.

Just prior to the establishment of the Logistics Industry Roundtable, Eastern Iowa Community College District in Davenport, Iowa, had implemented a logistics technician curriculum, and Black Hawk College in Moline, Ill., established an APICS and inventory control curriculum as well as a warehouse and distribution college-credit certificate. WIU, Quad Cities, created an undergraduate curriculum and an MBA concentration in supply chain management.

In 2006, Eastern Iowa Community College District and Black Hawk College collaborated, applied for and received a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to develop a more comprehensive logistics curriculum for the region.

This grant is referred to as “Joined by a River.” Cutting edge for a bi-state consortium, it supports varying aspects of logistics education in our region, ranging from non-credit classes for entry-level warehousing and transportation disciplines, to inventory control, supply chain management, transportation management and warehousing management classes. These classes articulate to a bachelor’s degree in transportation/logistics and supply chain management. The WIU MBA concentration in supply chain management consists of graduate-level classes in transportation; warehousing; procurement and sourcing; and integrated operations management.

Both community colleges plan to do articulation agreements with WIU for supply chain management. Other new curricula on logistics also will emerge as the three-year grant continues.

In addition, this grant allows for education within feeder groups, such as dual-credit classes in Illinois and Iowa high schools to increase young people’s interest in the field of logistics at an earlier age.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity projects the demand for workers in this field to reach as high as 20,000 by 2010. Due to the growing number of warehousing and distribution centers in the region, the State of Illinois has identified logistics as a target area through the Governor’s Critical Skills Shortage Initiative.

The “Joined by a River” grant is administered through the Eastern Iowa Community College District and Black Hawk College. It is also supported by the Quad City Development Group Logistics Industry Roundtable and other industry leaders within a well defined advisory group. This group helps identify key aspects of the integrated logistics curriculum for ongoing placement of existing and future multi-trained employees as the logistics industry continues to grow in the region.

Already, there is widespread industry support in hiring graduates from the existing classes, enrollment of existing employees in the programs and support from feeder schools to educate and recruit prospective students to get into the field of logistics, whether as material handlers, clerical employees, or managerial supply chain professionals.

Doug Plank is a recently retired 3PL executive serving the Quad City Development Group as chair of the Logistics Industry Roundtable and a director of the Quad Cites Foreign Trade Zone. He is engaged in his own logistics consulting business in the Quad City area and can be reached at dplank214@aol.com.