COURSE: PURCHASING AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT + FREIGHT BROKER/AGENT TRAINING 
 
Online Logistics, Supply Chain Management and Freight Broker Training 

There is ample opportunity in the logistics industry if you understand planning, acquisition, flow and distribution. This online course will teach you for a career in logistics. You’ll learn key skills in purchasing, supply chain management and freight brokering – 100% online and at your own pace!      

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Job Outlook for Logistics Professionals 
  • The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists freight broker as “Bright Outlook” career area, with over 30% job growth expected in the next five years. The BLS data states freight brokers make an average of $45,000 annually, with top brokers making over $66,600 per year. 

  • The BLS indicates that need for logistic specialists, or “logisticians,” will grow by about 5% through 2028. Logistics experts earn on average $75,000 a year. 

  • According to the US Bureau of Transportation (USDOT), over 11 billion tons of freight move by truck each year. This number will grow, so skilled brokers are needed to keep the industry moving. 

 

FAQS ABOUT THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY 
 

WHAT DO LOGISTICS PROFESSIONALS DO?  
Logistics professionals, or logisticians, may oversee all aspects of an organization’s supply chain, which can include purchasing, inventory and transportation. Some organizations handle transportation internally, often employing in-house logistics professionals to manage their freight needs. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS? 
Freight and logistics deal with two distinct aspects of the supply chain. Freight deals with the transportation of goods, while logistics deals with the complete lifecycle of delivering a product from the manufacturer to the end user. 

WHAT ROLE DO FREIGHT BROKERS HAVE IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT? 
Every product goes through a process that starts with the acquisition of raw materials and ends with consumption. Freight brokers work in the later stages of the supply chain, helping transport a finished product from its point of origin to the end user.  

WHAT DO FREIGHT BROKERS DO?  
Freight brokers find carriers for shippers to haul their freight. They also assume financial responsibility in the shipping process by invoicing shippers, paying carriers and agents, extending credit and more.  

   
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Course Objectives 
 
  • Learn the ins and outs of the industry, as taught by experienced freight brokers 

  • Understand the registration process for earning a FMCSA license and getting a surety bond 

  • Master the basics of purchasing and the purchasing environment in the private sector 

  • Understand field of price and cost analysis from a purchasing and production perspective 

  • Master the fundamentals of the budgeting process and managing the process in an organization 

 
Prerequisites and Requirements 

There are no specific prerequisites for taking this course. However, this course focuses solely on U.S. domestic freight brokering, so it’s only recommended if you plan to do business in the United States. 


Curriculum 
 

Freight Broker/Agent Training 

THE BASICS OF FREIGHT BROKERING 
Job duties, qualities and skills of an effective freight broker and a freight broker agent 

SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS AND OFFICE 
Steps needed to launch a brokerage and set up an office 

SETTING GOALS AND DEVELOPING YOUR CORPORATE IDENTITY 
Evaluate business goals and mission statements 

SETTING UP YOUR SHIPPER PACKET AND YOUR CARRIER PACKET 
Documents to send to shippers and carriers 

OPERATIONS AND USING OPERATIONS SOFTWARE 
Forms, logs, and broker software that work best for business; how to avoid or manage day-to-day problems that freight brokers face 

TYPES OF FREIGHT AND EXPLORING NICHE MARKETS 
Differentiate between the types of freight and the types of niche markets available 

TRANSPORTATION LAW 
Transportation law most affect business as a broker or agent, and why they are important to operations 

BROKER-CARRIER CONTRACTS 
How contracts protect brokers and carriers 

BROKER-SHIPPER AGREEMENTS 
Components of an effective broker-shipper agreement 

INSURANCE FOR CARRIERS AND BROKERS 
Insurance policies and forms essential for carriers and brokers 

RECORD KEEPING, ACCOUNTING, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 
Different processes and records encountered as a broker freight 

DETERMINING YOUR RATE QUOTES 
Rate quotes that are based on relevant information 

CARRIER RELATIONS AND SOLUTIONS FOR SUCCESS 
Situations from a carrier's point of view 

SALES AND PROFITABILITY 
Sales techniques and results as part of sales success 

ADVANCED MARKETING 
Marketing efforts that will be beneficial for business 

DEVELOP YOUR NEGOTIATION SKILLS 
Negotiation skills from first real sales calls 

Purchasing and Supply Chain Management 

ESSENTIALS OF PURCHASING 
Overview of the interdependencies of purchasing; purchasing administration, financial statements and global sourcing 

THE SUPPLY CHAIN PROCESS 
Acquisition of goods and services; quantity and demand 

MANAGEMENT ESSENTIALS 
Leadership and risk; strategies, decision making, empowerment, and accountability 

BUDGETING ESSENTIALS 
The concept of budgeting and factors to consider; production planning and inventory 

THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS 
Elements of supplier selection and evaluation; bidding and procurement processes 

SUPPLIER CONTRACTING 
General contract principles and drafting; types of purchasing contracts 

PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION 
Fundamentals of communication; knowing the audience, the power of listening and credibility of the speaker 

NEGOTIATING STRATEGIES 
Steps, tools and types of Negotiating; BATNA 

PRICE AND COST ANALYSIS 
Pricing evaluation, use of data and strategic cost analysis 

LEGAL ASPECTS OF CONTRACTS 
Elements of a contract; duties, obligations and good faith

Instructors 

Jan Roach 
Jan Roach has been a partner in a freight brokerage operation since 1995. For over 10 years, she ran a freight brokerage, overseeing sales, marketing, accounting and day-to-day operations. Roach holds a Bachelor of Science from Baylor University and has provided training for the freight industry since 2001. 

Jeff Roach 
Jeff Roach has been in the transportation industry since 1986. He founded his own freight brokerage in 1995, after working as the vice president of national accounts for a major truckload carrier. He grew his brokerage into a multimillion-dollar business and began developing freight broker courses in 2001. Roach holds a Bachelor of Science from Abilene Christian University. 

Rose Roberts  
Rose Roberts has 20 years of experience helping organizations develop purchasing strategies and implement process improvements. Through her leadership and coaching, Rose has helped purchasing departments and executive teams recognize the value of formulating strategies, employing methodologies, and measuring results. Rose has earned and maintained C.P.M. designation since 1995 and has a B.B.A from the University of Texas. 

Katherine Squires Pang 
Katherine Squires Pang, J.D., LL.M., M.Ed has practiced law with since 1983. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Management at the University of Texas, Dallas, and has been an adjunct faculty member of many universities, including New York University and the University of California, Irvine. She received her B.A. in 1980 from Clark University, her J.D. from the University of Dayton Law School in 1982, her LL.M in Taxation from Georgetown University Law School in 1983, and her M.Ed from the University of Texas in 2001. 

 
Registration and Enrollment 

This course is 100% online. Start anytime. 
 

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