Building Careers, Not Jobs: How High Schools Are Preparing the Next Generation for Logistics with Dr. Gina Smith

In this episode of NextGen Talks, Lindsey Trent sits down with Dr. Gina Smith, an educator leading a Supply Chain and Logistics program at Groves High School in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Smith shares her personal journey from a 25-year career in the automobile industry to nearly a decade of teaching logistics.

She describes how she built the program into a pipeline for skilled careers by partnering with local industries, securing certifications for students (such as OSHA, forklift, TWIC, hazmat, and logistics technician), and ensuring hands-on exposure through field trips, simulators, and real-world experiences.

Dr. Smith emphasizes her passion for showing students that logistics offers careers—not just jobs—that can change their lives and communities. Many of her students have graduated with certifications, landed positions at companies like Georgia Ports, Gulfstream, and Colonial Group, and even purchased homes at age 19 or 20.

She also highlights the importance of adapting curriculum to industry trends, introducing students to AI and robotics, and keeping them engaged with experiential learning. Above all, Dr. Smith’s message is clear: invest in young people, love them, hold them accountable, and expose them to opportunities so they can thrive in trucking, logistics, and beyond.

Contact Dr. Gina Smith
[e-mail]
https://www.instagram.com/drgina.smith/

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The Next Generation in Trucking Association is a non-profit trade association who is engaging and training the next generation of trucking industry professionals by partnering with high schools, community/technical colleges and private schools to connect to and launch training programs around North America.

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