How Houston City College and WiseTech Academy are preparing the next generation of logistics professionals

Every day in Houston, thousands of containers move through ports, rail yards, and distribution centers. Behind that activity are the people who plan, track, and manage the flow of goods. Training those people is the focus of Houston City College (HCC), which has built one of the country’s leading logistics and supply chain education programs. 

At the helm of HCC’s Logistics and Global Supply Chain Management program is Shari Carter, a 30-year industry veteran who knows firsthand the vital role logistics plays.  

“We really are the backbone of the economy,” she says. 

When Carter stepped into a program leadership role in 2023, one issue stood out immediately: students were graduating with knowledge, but not always with the practical skills needed to move straight into the workforce. Closing that gap became her top priority. 

Modernizing curriculums for a changing industry 

The logistics sector is evolving quickly, driven by technology and digital transformation. To stay ahead, HCC needed to move beyond theory and give students the platform-specific skills employers now expect. 

The answer came from the industry itself. Feedback from HCC’s advisory board – made up of leaders from major logistics and freight forwarding companies – was consistent: graduates must be able to hit the ground running on modern logistics systems, with CargoWise at the top of the list. 

That feedback led to a strategic collaboration. HCC became a CargoWise Education Partner, embedding CargoWise and WiseTech Academy directly into its curriculum. 

“The relationship with WiseTech Global has been a breath of fresh air,” says Carter. “They’ve been very welcoming. They really ask what our needs are and what we can do together.’” 

A new standard for hands-on learning 

With the partnership in place, HCC became one of the first institutions to integrate CargoWise Operator and CargoWise Specialist certifications into its Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and certificate programs. For students, this means they don’t just study logistics in theory — they train on the same technology used by the world’s largest logistics providers. 

Delivery is powered by WiseTech Academy, the company’s comprehensive online learning platform, which both faculty and students have quickly embraced for its accessibility and design. 

Professor Silvia De Garcia, a full-time faculty member who has taught in HCC’s logistics program for more than a decade, has helped guide thousands of students through the AAS in Logistics and Supply Chain Management since its launch in 2010.  

She’s seen firsthand how the industry’s rapid evolution has reshaped student expectations and employer demands. For her, integrating WiseTech Academy has been a pivotal shift. 

“I really like the way the WiseTech Academy platform is very user-friendly,” says Professor De Garcia. “It’s not just reading materials. There are videos, audio, interactive elements. Any type of student can benefit.” 

For students balancing full-time jobs with their studies, flexibility is essential. Sarah Olivarez, who worked while pursuing her degree, recalls the challenge of absorbing so much new material at once. But the platform’s intuitive, self-paced structure made it manageable. 

“After the first shock of information, it gets a lot easier,” she says. “The Academy lays everything out clearly, and that makes the process much smoother.” 

A pipeline of certified talent 

The results speak for themselves. In its first year, the program achieved a 98% CargoWise certification completion rate – far above typical benchmarks. 

Graduates now leave HCC with more than a degree. They hold industry-recognized certifications that employers value, giving them a real edge in the job market. 

“You’re getting a certificate you can actually use in your work every day,” says student Sarah Olivarez. “That’s so much more worthwhile than just any old certificate.” 

For Carter, this is just the beginning. The program has grown from just five students in 2009 to nearly 500 today, and she’s set her sights on reaching 1,000. The need is urgent: Houston alone has more than 10,000 unfilled logistics and supply chain jobs 

She also sees new pathways opening through dual credit and pre-apprenticeship models, where high school students can earn credits – and in some cases, graduate with a two-year degree already in hand. For many, the payoff is immediate. Entry-level freight forwarding roles in Houston start at $55,000+ a year – “a life-changing opportunity,” Carter notes. 

“We want to be the college of choice – the place industry comes to when they need a pipeline of certified, job-ready talent,” she concludes.  

The partnership demonstrates how aligning education with industry demand can transform both student outcomes and employer pipelines. By combining academic foundations with CargoWise certifications, HCC is not only preparing students for today’s jobs but also equipping them with the skills to grow into tomorrow’s leaders in logistics and supply chain.