Recap: Centennial College & Industry Networking Event
Recap of the 2023 Centennial & Industry Networking Event, organized by CITT
CITT, in collaboration with Centennial College, hosted a college professional and student networking event and job fair at Centennial College on April 4, 2023. Apart from CCLP designation holders and current students working towards the CCLP designation in Centennial's graduate certificate program in Supply Chain Management , we also saw a lot of walk-ins from interested Centennial students in other programs.
There were talks from prominent speakers in the supply chain and logistics industry.
Ryan Bloor, CCLP spoke about supply chain and shipping trends. His presentation touched on points including oil, fuel, and container prices. He also spoke about how this sectoral development affected the shipping industry as a whole. As of now, prices are falling in many of these sectors, which might not be the best for manufacturers, but is expected to be good for purchasers.
Ruth Joseph Jones spoke about HR trends and tips on interview preparation for students looking to enter the supply chain industry. Her tips focused on how students can prepare concise and coherent answers for interviews that can convey their skills and strengths. She also imparted guidance on how to answer behavioral questions, which are questions where they try to gauge your skill set, professionalism and how you handle stress. Jones recommended learning more about the STAR method for interview answers - Situation, Task, Action, Result.
The attendees also heard from Malou Espinola, CCLP, who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines. She joined CCLP to learn more about how supply chain functions in this country. She is a Centennial alumni and a CCLP designation holder. She joined the course of study at Centennial because it had a tie up with CITT, and having a CCLP designation was important to her. She moved from Philippines for a better life for her family, and chose to come here as an international student.
Another CCLP designation holder, Gursimran Singh, CCLP, spoke about his experience at Centennial, where he worked towards his designation while studying for his degree at Centennial. He mentioned the importance of networking and participating in industry events to broaden your horizons. Singh also emphasized the value of the CCLP designation and the exponential growth it brought to his career.
After the speaker session, there was a networking event and job fair, with companies like Celestica, Wolseley, Charger Logistics, Robert, WTG (Warehouse Transport Group), and GX transport participating. There was a buzz in the room as students took the opportunity to interact with companies and ask for guidance.
What attendees had to say:
"I was chair of TAC (Toronto Area Council) for 8+ years. It is always about networking. You go to these events to meet like-minded people in logistics. You may have a problem in logistics, like finding a job. You go to these events; you may meet people who have gone through similar problems who may be able to coach you through that problem without it being a sales pitch."
Duane Chiasson, CCLP
"The CITT team felt like family. Professionally, I got a lot of leverage from the activities and TAC events. The weekly community digest is especially useful. If you have a question, someone from the community will provide an answer or solution, which is very encouraging. For students who don’t have the industry awareness, support and membership is wonderful to have. I really appreciate Pina. Academics are just one part of education. What is also important is soft skills and communication skills. How to navigate different personalities and different people."
Malou Espinola, CCLP
"CCLP and Centennial is a unique combination you do not get in other colleges. Having a CCLP and supply chain program will give you the upper hand in the competitive job market. Having a CCLP with your name will bring the trust of employers, as well as of your colleagues, clients and more! CCLP has helped me exponentially in my career. My current company, Charger Logistics, reached out to me on LinkedIn because of my CCLP certification. Headhunters message me every week for the same reason. The combination of CCLP and the right experience can take you very far."
Gursimran Singh, CCLP
Centennial College is a CITT Centre of Excellence in Learning, which means that graduates from the Supply Chain Management - Logistics program meet all the academic requirements to earn the CCLP designation, in addition to earning their Ontario college graduate certificate from Centennial. Click here to learn more about the relationship between CITT and Centennial, as well as CITT's relationships with other academic institutions across Canada.