Professional Development 

2007 Outstanding Program Award

Non-Credit

California State University, Long Beach

Global Logistics Specialist (GLS)

In early 1996, University College and Extension Services (UCES) staff from California State University, Long Beach, met with industry leaders to answer a need for trained professionals with a clear understanding of international goods movement and supply chain management. In January 1997, UCES launched the Global Logistics Specialist (GLS) program, and since then some 1,000 students have taken courses in the program and 700 have earned a GLS professional designation. More than 20 trade associations have officially endorsed the GLS. In further response to demand, the program is now also available online and licensing agreements have been entered into with two universities in California and one in Shanghai, China.

The GLS professional designation program is unique in that it is the only industry-driven training program certifying both users and providers of global logistics services. The program was developed in close partnership with professionals from all segments of the transportation industry, and is a ship-to-shelf training solution for those involved in the international movement of goods from source to destination. Prior to the introduction of the program, education in the industry consisted of on-the-job training within each isolated segment; the GLS program ties all segments of the industry together. As a result of having developed the curriculum with guidance from the International Trade Logistics Advisory Committee (ITLAC), and because the committee's annual reviews keep the curriculum current, a GLS certificate is viewed as the only professional designation that is valued across the board in the industry.

"The program provides a critical foundation to understanding the variables within a supply chain," says Hector Montoya, a Global Logistics Analyst and student in the program. "Without the GLS program, it would take years to be exposed to all the different aspects of logistics."

The GLS program is grouped into six modules covering a total of 122 contact hours. The program is offered in three-hour long evening sessions, as well as on Saturdays, to accommodate working adults; students can complete the program in either six months or a year.