Last week in Phoenix, Arizona at the ISA23 convention, the Industrial Supply Association (ISA) announced the launch of its new Emerging Leaders Channel Certification (ELCC), a certification program aimed at developing “the next generation to lead,” the association said.

“The ELCC is a program that companies within the industrial MROP industry have needed for years,” Alex Ruggles, Immediate Past Chair of ISA’s Emerging Leaders Committee and Director of Customer Service at Martin Supply Inc., said in a news release. “It provides the opportunity to fast-track young talent in terms of their knowledge of how the channel works as well as their connections inside it. In an increasingly competitive hiring landscape, this program gives companies within the channel a leg up in terms of retaining existing talent and recruiting new talent by showing them exactly how they’ll be developed. Giving high-potential individuals exposure to channel-specific education and each other means we’re investing in our future. Our industry is built on relationships, and helping young professionals make the right connections early on in their career sets up the company and the individual for long-term success.”

Lesson plans within the course curriculum, created in partnership with industry experts, develop core fundamental skills, strengthen knowledge of the channel alignment framework, and create a strong industry network, according to the release. Students enrolled in the program will participate in an eight-week, live, instructor-led online class. They will also attend in-person events for professional development, leadership training and relationship building while gaining exclusive access to on-demand training and development content, “all designed to hone the hard and soft skills required to achieve growth and company success.”

“While plenty of professional development programs are available to the next generation of leaders, there is no other program dedicated to the MROP industry like the Emerging Leaders Channel Certification,” said Kayla Jane McLaughlin, Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee and Director of Digital & Development at Surpless Dunn. “ELCC offers a targeted curriculum, focused relationship building, and increased accessibility to an already invaluable network. Our community of manufacturers, distributors, IMRs, and service providers alike are fortunate to have such a unique program exist.”

Enrollment for the Emerging Leaders Channel Certification is now open. The course starts July 13, 2023, with a limited class size. Learn more about the program and enroll at www.isapartners.org/elcc.