Building the Next Generation of Logistics Professionals

By Cassia B. Galvao and Margaret A. Kidd

Breakbulk Americas Education Day continues to strengthen its role as a bridge between industry and education, bringing together students, educators and maritime logistics professionals to develop the next generation of talent.

In 2026, the program reached new milestones, not only in participation, but also in the breadth of students involved and the opportunities created for direct engagement with industry.

The interest in Education Day reached a new record, with 588 student and educator registrations in 2026, up from 513 in 2025, a 14.6% increase. Education Day itself welcomed 305 students and educators compared with 288 the previous year, while total student and educator attendance at Breakbulk Americas increased from 368 to 443, a remarkable 20.3% increase.

Behind these numbers is an important story: Students are increasingly recognizing the value of engaging with industry before graduation, while maritime and logistics organizations are demonstrating their commitment to helping prepare the workforce they will need in the years ahead.

This year also marked an important expansion in the reach of the program. For the first time, high school students participated in the Education Day poster competition, introducing younger students to maritime logistics, project cargo and the broader supply chain ecosystem. Their participation represents an important step toward building awareness of maritime careers earlier in the educational pipeline.

The poster competition also expanded opportunities at the other end of the academic spectrum. Cash prizes were extended to graduate students, recognizing the increasingly sophisticated research and ideas being brought to Breakbulk Americas by students at different stages of their education. Together, the participation of high school, undergraduate and graduate students demonstrates the potential for Education Day to connect multiple stages of the maritime talent pipeline.

Another major addition in 2026 was the introduction of speed mentoring, designed to move industry engagement beyond traditional presentations and create opportunities for genuine conversation. More than 30 working professionals in leading positions across maritime logistics organizations volunteered their time to participate. Students met with professionals in small groups, allowing them to ask questions, hear candid perspectives on career development and learn directly from people working across the industry.

The initiative complemented the new session, “Being Industry-Ready: The Unspoken Rules for Professional Success,” which focused on an important dimension of workforce preparation: the professional skills and knowledge that are not always found in textbooks. Communication, relationship building, workplace expectations, professional credibility and career decision-making are learned in large part through interaction with experienced professionals.

These conversations reflect one of the central purposes of Education Day. Universities provide students with knowledge, analytical capabilities and technical foundations. Industry provides another essential dimension: exposure to the realities of professional practice. Bringing the two together helps students connect what they learn in the classroom with the careers, challenges and opportunities they will encounter after graduation.

The success of 2026 is already providing momentum for the next chapter. Planning for Education Day 2027 is underway, with two important new additions to the leadership team. San Jacinto College and the Port of Houston Partnership for Maritime Education (PHPME) will participate directly in the planning process, with Jacqueline Young and Ivy Jenkins joining the Education Day team as co-chairs. This collaboration will further strengthen connections among educators, students and Houston’s maritime community.

The continued growth of Education Day demonstrates something fundamental about workforce development: preparing the next generation is a shared responsibility.

Maritime logistics is ultimately an industry of people. Creating opportunities for students to meet those people, learn from their experiences, share their own ideas and begin seeing themselves as members of the professional community is what makes Education Day more than an event; it makes it an investment in the future of the industry!

About the Authors

Cassia B. Galvao is associate professor, Department of Maritime Studies Texas A&M University at Galveston. Margaret A. Kidd is department chair, Business, Logistics and Supply Chain Management at San Jacinto College.

Top photo: The winners of Education Day's poster competition gather on stage at Breakbulk Americas. Credit: Marco Wang

Second: Speed mentoring was introduced for the first time at the event in Houston. Credit: Marco Wang