The fastest growing area-of-need in logistics over the next two decades may well be the need for trained Humanitarian & Disaster Relief logisticians.  We’ve already talked about the FEMA Emergency Management Institute’s Independent Study Program, but there are a number of academic degree and certificate programs designed to fill the need for trained and credentialed H&DR logisticians.  Here are just a few of the programs and resources to expand your H&DR knowledge.  NOTE: This short list is neither all-inclusive nor “officially endorsed” by SOLE: the programs/agencies listed are there to give you a glimpse of what’s ‘out there’ that might be of benefit to your personal or professional H&DR knowledge.  We strongly recommend you conduct your own research to find what best serves  your interests/needs.

Academic Programs/Credentialing

– Florida Institute of Technology offers a Master of Science (MS) degree in “Logistics Management – Humanitarian & Disaster Relief Logistics.”  Information about the program (which SOLE helped develop) can be found at  http://catalog.fit.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=6&poid=1674&returnto=187

– The Chartered Institute of Transport & Logistics (CITL, UK) – working with the Fritz Institute (US) and with funding by USAID – offers both a Certification in Humanitarian Logistics (CHL) and a Certification in Humanitarian Supply Chain Management (CHSCM).  Information can be found at https://hlcertification.org .

Humanitarian Logistics Organizations

– Humanitarian Logistics Association (UK) – This UK based non-profit offers international membership for humanitarian logistics professionals and organizations that respond to provide humanitarian and disaster relief, and works to forge alliances between public/private/academic sector aid organizations.  You can find them at https://humanitarianlogistics.org .

– Team Rubicon (https://teamrubiconusa.org) is a non-profit organization that builds on the skills and experiences of military veterans to rapidly deploy emergency response teams around the globe.

– FEMA Careers – From time to time FEMA’s Office of the Chief Component Human Capital Officer hosts virtual career fairs.  For more info, go to https://www.careereco.com/events/fema.

… and last – don’t forget to read “Part 5: Being Part of a Global Humanitarian & Disaster Relief Logistics Team” of the SOLE-authored, John Wiley & Sons-published “Global Logistics For Dummies” for a comprehensive look at H&DR at the global provider level.