Students get taste of logistics industry

Twenty high school students gained a crash course in logistics during Camp Logistics, held June 1-5 at the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville Campus.

UNG faculty members and industry guest speakers shared their knowledge and insights with students in the mornings, with each afternoon featuring a field trip to a company that allowed them to gain tangible experience of what logistics looks like in action.

"A camp like this for high school students is vital because the modern logistics and supply chain is undergoing a massive technological shift driven by AI and analytics. By introducing regional students to the high-fidelity logistics simulation tools and ecosystem in north Georgia early, we show them that logistics is a high-tech, high-velocity career pathway," said Dr. Varun Gupta, associate professor of logistics and supply chain management. "This experiential learning directly builds the talent pipeline needed to support north Georgia's booming logistics infrastructure."

Students visited Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Agile Cold Storage, the Gainesville Inland Port, Geek+, and King's Hawaiian the first four days of the camp before spending the whole final day at Syfan Logistics, the camp’s sponsor. For the final activity, student groups made presentations to Syfan leaders about the logistics of major companies.

"I was genuinely impressed by the level of preparation, creativity and professionalism they demonstrated, given such a short time. Despite being high school students, many of them presented ideas, analyses and solutions at a level comparable to what I have seen from college students," said Dr. Zuoming Liu, associate professor of management. "Watching them apply what they learned during the camp and present their work with such enthusiasm was both inspiring and rewarding."

Rayan Khan, a rising junior at Alliance Academy for Innovation in Cumming, earned Camper of the Week honors. He was grateful to meet Syfan Logistics CEO Jim Syfan, learn about the industry and see how to build his skills in a way that is effective in a world driven by artificial intelligence (AI). He drove an hour each way daily to attend the camp and made the most of the opportunities offered.

"People take a lot of things for granted," Khan said. "Every single opportunity can go a long way."

Going into the camp, Ty Policy, a May graduate of North Hall High School in Gainesville, had little knowledge about logistics.

"Now that I have a better understanding, it seems really interesting to me and something that I would probably want to pursue in the future," Policy said.

Dr. Lu Xu, associate professor of business analytics, was glad to see the students embrace the camp.

"Students were most responsive to the camp's experiential learning opportunities, particularly the field trips and guest speakers, which helped them connect classroom concepts to real-world logistics operations," Xu said.

Tam Nguyen, a rising senior at Discovery High School in Lawrenceville, said the things she learned at the camp have shifted her aspirations toward becoming an optimization engineer. She appreciated the message of not putting limits on herself and also gleaned an optimistic view of the impact of AI.

"AI is not going to replace people," Nguyen said. "They will work with each other."

Elijah Hoyt, a rising senior at North Hall High, isn't sure what his next steps will be after high school. But Camp Logistics was an important step in that direction.

"This was a great chance to explore opportunities, see what this career field looks like in day-to-day operations with all the field trips," Hoyt said. "You get to meet so many new people. It's a good way to network."

Dr. Mohan Menon, department head of Marketing & Logistics, said the camp offered more than the students were expecting.

"Given the title of the camp, many students attend expecting to learn about logistics but leave with a broader understanding of how businesses operate, how careers develop and how they can begin preparing themselves now for future success," Menon said. "Students begin to understand how interconnected the modern economy is."

Dan Bacus, director of community and academic relations for Syfan Logistics, was glad to see the students so engaged.

"What an innovative way to introduce high school students to the vital world of logistics. These incredibly smart young people choose to spend a week of their summer exploring an industry crucial to our nation's supply chain," Bacus said. "Their day-to-day engagement and inspiring insights throughout the week were a true testament to the outstanding industry and technological experiences provided by the UNG faculty and camp staff. We can't speak highly enough of our amazing partnership with UNG."