SMC3 introduces hybrid online LTL curriculum

Atlanta-based SMC, a provider of LTL (less-than-truckload technology, data and education services, recently announced it has rolled out its 2021 hybrid LTL learning curriculum.

The company said that the objective of this educational offering, which kicked off this month, is to provide convenient, self-paced learning that provides live access to industry experts. And it added that it is comprised of weekly live seminar sessions, for shippers, 3PLs, carriers, freight forwarders, and future supply chain leaders.

SMC’s 2021 hybrid LTL learning curriculum is comprised of the following:

• LTL 203: LTL Carrier Pricing & Costing (April 15 – May 6);
• LTL 204: US LTL Transportation Law & Regulations (July 8 – July 22); 
• LTL 205: LTL Business Analytics (September 9 – September 30); and
• LTL 201: The Fundamentals of LTL (October 28 – November 18)

“Over the last year, the pandemic has driven meaningful change to nearly every aspect of the supply chain industry,” said Brian Thompson, Chief Commercial Officer at SMC3, in a statement “This on-demand curriculum, coupled with live seminar sessions, provides students an engaging hybrid learning approach to stay current on evolving LTL challenges and gain valuable insights from the industry experts who solve these challenges every day.”

An SMC3 spokesperson told LM that part of SMC3’s mission is to connect and empower the transportation industry through technology solutions and industry-wide education.

“For more than 65 years we’ve educated and connected the industry at our conferences and traditional class room courses,” the spokesperson said. “Adding LTL online courses to SMC3’s education solutions was a natural evolution. The pandemic heightened the need for a hybrid course option.”

And as companies pivoted to virtual experiences during the pandemic, SMC3 built the hybrid online courses to facilitate a networking and collaborative environment and experience, with the first hybrid course, LTL 201 Fundamentals of LTL, taking place in April 2020 filling an industry gap in both education, network building and connecting with others, according to the company.

“Online education is a powerful tool alone, and the hybrid option enabled participants to connect and network with industry experts and each other while working and studying from remote locations,” the spokesperson said. “Bringing knowledge experts with real-world experience into any type of classroom setting is a best practice for educational success. SMC3 is aligned with some of the best and brightest companies in the industry and has an extensive network of sources and contacts to come in and facilitate discussions during the weekly sessions that adds extra learning value making this program truly unique.”

When asked what the main benefits, or takeaways, of this offering are for participating supply chain stakeholders, the spokesperson said that flexibility is a key benefit of these courses in various ways, including: flexibility for participants to learn and understand areas based on their job responsibilities, career goals or overall knowledge aspirations.

“SMC³’s online education program offers a path to professional LTL certification (CLTL) with the curriculum covering over 40 hours of information from the basics of LTL foundations, operations, carrier pricing and costing, transportation laws and regulations and business analytics,” the spokesperson said. “Participants have the flexibility to choose specific courses only or go through the entire program.”

And the spokesperson also cited flexibility for participants to learn on their own schedule, which she said is a substantial benefit of online learning, and also flexibility for organizations to enroll individual students or have a corporate license in environments where larger teams are in need of LTL education. 

Another key benefit is an understanding of the LTL ecosystem from each stakeholder’s perspective is a key takeaway, with stakeholders learning about the different perspectives each supply chain stakeholder has, whether a shipper, carrier, 3PL or freight forwarder.

“This gives them the perspective to explore challenges and opportunities from a different angle, see beyond their objectives and better understand the entire supply chain,” said the spokesperson. “These courses benefit all supply chain stakeholders and are perfect for shippers, 3PLs, carriers, freight forwarders and future supply chain leaders. 

Going forward, the SMC3 spokesperson said that the LTL online courses and hybrid curriculum will continue to evolve as the supply chain and market continue to evolve continue to evolve.

“SMC3 remains committed to providing timely education to address real-world challenges and opportunities facing the supply chain, and will continue to bring in new experts as topics evolve and incorporate student feedback into the program,” the spokesperson said. “As more companies engage with the courses, SMC3 will work to customize the program based on organizational needs.”