The spring 2026 semester will see the launch of a new bachelor’s degree in logistics and supply chain management at San Jacinto College, demonstrating the institution’s increasing emphasis on training present and future workers in a sector that propels Houston’s economy.
The new program, which was overwhelmingly authorized by trustees on Monday, is the college’s fourth bachelor’s degree and its second program in the last year that is related to the logistics and distribution industries.
SJC Board Chair David Mims stated, “We’re listening to our industry partners, and they’re telling us what we need to focus on, which seems to work best.” In this case, we are able to fill in the gaps even though the supply is not where it should be and the demand is there.
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College administrators will use the new bachelor’s degree to train the industry’s workforce of the future, which is in charge of managing the flow of commodities from producers to consumers. According to the Pasadena Economic Development Council, the logistics, material, and supply chain sector employs just over 70,000 people in Pasadena, many of whom work for the region’s well-known petrochemical industries.
Alexander Okwonna, provost of SJC’s North Campus, where the program will be held, stated, “We’ve been teaching a lot of dual credit students, high school students, about careers in this industry because they don’t really know they think the Amazon package just magically shows up on their doorstep.”
The adjacent Port of Houston, a shipping hub that handles the most cargo in the United States, and the warehouses that dominate the area’s landscape demonstrate the industry’s significance to southeast Houston. According to the Pasadena Economic Development Council, AXion, Kaneka North America, Wilhelmsen Port Services, and CBSL Transportation Services are some of the major logistics and supply chain jobs in the southeast Houston region.
A collaboration with local businesses gave rise to the new initiative. An advisory group of business executives oversees all of SJC’s technical programs, sharing information about industry demands and offering suggestions on subjects like curriculum.
In this instance, SJC leaders were informed that a higher-level degree is required by representatives from firms like Lyondell-Basell, TransUnion, DHL, FedEx, and Amazon.
According to Okwonna, they provided us with comments regarding the necessity of obtaining a bachelor’s degree because of the higher level abilities required to manage all of the intricate data surrounding the movement of products. “Hey, this is the direction you really need to go,” they remarked.
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Although it is still far smaller than the majority of its programs, the college’s two-year logistics and supply chain program has seen an increase in enrollment in recent years. The number of students enrolled in the program increased from 32 in the fall 2019 semester to 63 in the fall 2024 semester. Citing increasing demand in the industry, Houston Community College also launched a new associate degree program in supply chain and logistics in 2023.
A competency-based education program in the same subject will also be introduced by SJC in March. This program will enable students to progress through the course material at their own pace online and eventually earn a degree or technical certification. Current local logistics and distribution workers who wish to upskill or acquire new skills to further their careers will be the focus of college officials’ efforts.
“The new programs at the college are a significant value add to the Pasadena labor market that will help the community unlock new potential in the labor force, add jobs, and enrich the already existing and thriving group of industry professionals,” said Julianne Echavarria, marketing manager for the Pasadena Economic Development Council.
According to Okwonna, college officials are planning to appoint more faculty members and will shortly start searching for a director for the new program.
Since community colleges are permitted by state law to offer up to five bachelor’s degree programs, the college can only add one more after the new program begins. Other major universities have increased the number of four-year programs they offer; Lone Star College now offers four, while Houston Community College now offers two.
SJC officials stated that their industry partners will determine the necessity for any further programs.
According to Mims, listening is the first step.
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