The Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals (IRPT) Trade Association announced today that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Lewis & Clark Community College - National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) and the Mississippi River Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (MRTDL) Consortium.
“IRPT promotes the education of the river industry professionals. We continue to see the need for skilled workers in occupations in river transportation,” said Hugh McConnell, president of IRPT. “The use of our nation’s waterways, our country’s most valuable natural resource, for barge movement of freight and commodities is more cost-effective and better for the environment.”
Along the 2,300-mile stretch of the Mississippi River, businesses in the transportation, distribution and logistics industries are poised to hire, train, or retrain individuals for existing and future high-wage, high-skill occupations. This partnership creates the opportunity to educate and guide future leaders and create and expand innovative partnerships between community colleges and businesses to educate and train workers with the skills every river employer needs. The education and training of such workers is consistent with the missions of IRPT.
Community Colleges participating in the Consortium include:
• Lewis and Clark Community College (Godfrey, IL)
• Delgado Community College (New Orleans, LA)
• Hinds Community College (Raymond, MS)
• John Wood Community College (Quincy, IL)
• Mid-South Community College (West Memphis, AR)
• Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical (Winona, MN)
• St. Louis Community College (St. Louis, MO)
• Southwest Tennessee Community College (Memphis, TN)
• West Kentucky Community and Technical College (Paducah, KY)
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Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals, Inc. (IRPT) is a nationwide trade association composed of ports, terminals, users and suppliers of the U.S. Inland Waterway system. IRPT promotes the use of our nation’s rivers as the most cost effective, and environmentally-friendly form of transportation.