LOA University: Expanding Beyond the Symposium
By Jerry L. Ottinger II
LOA University is dedicated to fulfilling LOA’s mission to provide “relevant, real and solution-oriented learning and collaboration opportunities” to our membership. I recently volunteered to serve alongside the Chief Learning Officer, Jared Stewart, and we are looking forward to making 2020 a year of growth not only for LOA University, but for the LOA as a whole—and we need your help!
LOA2019 delivered 150 hours of education and professional development
Anyone who has attended the LOA Symposium in recent years has witnessed a deliberate effort to increase educational opportunities. At the 2019 Symposium, there were two tours of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex and 33 educational events on subjects ranging from “Logistics Planning at the Operational Level” to LIMS-EV and Theory of Constraints. This year also kicked off the Air Force’s Logistics “Think Tank” sessions, where logisticians came together to develop solutions to four Headquarters Air Force-sponsored problem sets. These combined with the main stage events to supply 150 hours of education and professional development over the course of the four day symposium—but what about the other 361 days in the year?
LOA2020 streamling live?
LOA University will certainly take on the task of delivering additional events and broadcasting them to the field, but we also believe that a closer partnership with bases and chapters around the globe will help fill this gap. LOA leadership knows that every month chapters are organizing great events to develop their logisticians, and we think that utilizing simple technology like Facebook Live to expand your audience will get after topics that are on the minds of maintainers and logisticians everywhere. We know we need to improve communication and forecasting so we can organize and advertise, but these tasks are completely surmountable.
What do you think?
To help LOA University move forward, we’d like to hear what you think. Do you like this concept? Let me know at jerry.ottinger@loanational.org. Hate it? Let me know that, too. Do you have topics you would like to see covered? Send them to me. Our hope is that this more continuous dialog will make us all better, improve conversation, and foster improved discussion and debate. If something seems to be of consistent interest, we will even look to ensure it is covered in the LOA Symposium.
Thank all of you for your dedication to our mission set and look forward to 2020. We are here for you and look forward to working more closely together in the future. Don’t forget to share your comments/feedback with me at jerry.ottinger@loanational.org