Olive-Harvey College prepares students for TDL industry
Dr. Kimberly Hollingsworth is the President of Olive-Harvey College, which is located
at 10001 Woodlawn. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CITY COLLEGES OF CHICAGO.
Olive-Harvey College, located at 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave., is part of the City College of Chicago system, which has campuses across the city.
Hollingsworth believes that community members should consider attending the City Colleges of Chicago because of her top five: Size, cost, location, access to quality education, and commitment to equity and inclusion.
“Quality instruction is something we don’t tout enough. We have some of the best faculty in the country. At Olive-Harvey College, nearly 90% of my faculty have a terminal degree in their major or their discipline. Students are getting some of the best education they could possibly imagine,” she said.
Olive-Harvey College is a predominantly Black institution. It serves Black and Brown students throughout the city of Chicago. Each College within the City Colleges of Chicago system has an equity plan, with a commitment to addressing the attainment gap.
Olive-Harvey has the distinction as the Center of Excellence in Transportation, Distribution and Logistics. Olive-Harvey offerings include supply chain management and logistics, aviation technology, forklift training. The students are exposed to the best in the field. The College also has partnerships with Amazon, Navistar, Whole Foods, Coyote, CTA and Pace. The goal is for students to have the theoretical background, educational information, and the ability to apply it in real life.
Olive-Harvey has a 103,000 square foot, $45 million TDL Center, which people can see from the Expressway. The College has a TDL Advisory Council that has industry partners who inform the needs of the workforce. It keeps the College on its toes and ensures that it offers relevant pedagogy to the community.
With a major shortage and major demand for more workforce in the transportation industry, Pace partnered with Olive-Harvey College on a CDL Permit course.
“We know that our mission as a community college is to service the masses. Whenever there is an industry need, we have the agility and ability to pivot and provide those type of services,” Hollingsworth said.
The program also will expand in the next year or so. Olive-Harvey has nearly 20 fleet on-site to conduct a CDL course. It was recently awarded a grant to serve as a TDL Sector Hub for the City of Chicago.
Olive-Harvey College has a Cannabis Training Program to prepare students so they can own a dispensary, secure a license, and participate in the ancillary activities in cannabis and hemp. As part of its Urban Agriculture Program, hemp is being grown in the College’s greenhouse.
Olive-Harvey also has a criminal justice program that students can complete in one year and it is a policing pathway. The College is working collaboratively with the Chicago Police Department.
Hollingsworth encourages people to attend Open Houses and community events. The students and the community are always welcome to visit Olive-Harvey College.
For more information about Olive-Harvey College, visit www.ccc.edu/olive-harvey.
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