Certified Logistics Technician
(CLT) by MSSC
Supply chain and logistics is one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand career sectors in the United States. With more than 5.8 million front-line supply chain logistics jobs across fulfillment centers, warehouses, distribution centers, and factories, the demand for workers who can demonstrate documented competency in material handling, inventory control, shipping and receiving, and supply chain operations far exceeds the supply of credentialed workers. For programs preparing students for logistics careers, the Certified Logistics Technician program from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council is the nationally recognized standard for that documentation.
The CLT program is a stackable certification pathway that begins with the foundational-level Certified Logistics Associate certificate and builds to the mid-level Certified Logistics Technician certification, giving students a structured progression from entry-level competency to a more advanced credential that opens doors to broader career opportunities in the supply chain logistics industry. Both levels are nationally portable, industry-led, and aligned with the skills that logistics employers across every sector need in their workforce.
Klein Educational supports CLT certification programs at CTE programs, community colleges, workforce development centers, and logistics training facilities across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. We help programs connect with the MSSC certification pathway and access the curriculum and training resources that support CLT delivery.
About MSSC
The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit and the leading industry-led training, assessment, and certification system for front-line production and material handling workers in the United States. MSSC is the only ISO Standard 17024 certified program covering entry-level to basic front-line supervisor skills in manufacturing and logistics. The CLT program is delivered through more than 1,500 MSSC Centers with a network of over 2,300 Authorized Instructors at colleges, secondary schools, and other locations nationwide.
What is the CLT certification pathway?
The CLT program consists of two stackable levels that together provide a complete entry-to-mid career certification pathway in supply chain logistics.
The Certified Logistics Associate is the foundational-level first step in the CLT pathway, covering the core competencies that every logistics worker needs to enter a material handling role successfully. CLA competencies include demonstrating an understanding of the various roles in the global supply chain logistics life cycle, understanding the logistics environment and its key systems, operating and using equipment safely and effectively, practicing safety principles throughout all material handling operations, practicing quality control principles, employing work communication practices, practicing teamwork and workplace problem-solving behaviors, and using relevant computer systems and applications to increase productivity.
The Certified Logistics Technician is the mid-level second step in the pathway, building on CLA foundational competencies with the more specific operational skills that warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution center roles require. CLT competencies include receiving products correctly and safely, stocking products and maintaining inventory organization, processing product orders efficiently and accurately, preparing packages for shipment and executing outbound shipping procedures, maintaining control of inventory and supporting inventory accuracy, handling hazardous materials in compliance with safety requirements, evaluating transportation modes and their appropriate applications, performing dispatch, routing, and tracking operations, and understanding and applying both US measurement and metric system conversions across logistics documentation and operations.
The stackable certification advantage
The CLT pathway is designed around the stackable certification model that is increasingly standard across industry-recognized credential programs. Students earn the CLA certificate first, gaining a documented entry-level credential that has immediate value in the job market and provides recognition for the foundational skills they have developed. They then continue to the CLT certification, adding the mid-level credential that positions them for advancement and higher-earning roles in supply chain operations.
This stackable approach benefits students at every stage of their education and career. A high school student completing the CLA has a documented industry credential before graduation that communicates real workplace competency to potential employers. A community college student who completes the full CLT pathway has a nationally portable mid-level credential that stacks with other industry certifications and is recognized across the logistics industry nationwide.
The CLT is stackable under the NAM-endorsed Skills Certification System and can be coordinated with ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate, NIMS, AWS, SME, APICS, and ASTL credentials, giving students the ability to build a growing portfolio of documented competencies that reflect their expanding skills over time.
Articulation and program integration
The CLT program articulates between high schools and community colleges, making it practical for programs to build a continuous certification pathway that students begin at the secondary level and complete at the post-secondary level without repeating competencies they have already demonstrated. The program also integrates naturally into apprenticeships and internships, giving students the opportunity to earn certification credit while gaining work experience in actual logistics environments.
MSSC's online training format makes the CLT curriculum flexible and accessible for programs with different delivery models, allowing content to be delivered in traditional classroom settings, hybrid formats, and fully online contexts depending on the program's structure and student population.
Why CLT matters to logistics employers
Logistics employers including Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and major distribution and fulfillment operations across every sector actively seek workers with documented supply chain competency. The CLT certification gives employers confidence that a candidate has demonstrated the core skills their logistics roles require, reducing the time and cost of onboarding, improving early-stage performance, and increasing retention among workers who enter with a clear credential pathway ahead of them.
For programs and workforce development centers serving communities with significant logistics employment, the CLT is a direct pipeline from training to documented employment readiness in one of the most consistently hiring sectors in the economy.
How Klein Educational supports your program
Klein Educational works with program directors, workforce administrators, and CTE coordinators from the first conversation through program setup and ongoing support. We help programs understand the CLT certification pathway, connect with MSSC authorization resources, and access the curriculum and assessment tools that support CLA and CLT delivery.
We serve programs across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MSSC CLT certification? The Certified Logistics Technician is a nationally portable, industry-led mid-level certification for front-line supply chain logistics workers in fulfillment centers, warehouses, distribution centers, and factories. It builds on the foundational Certified Logistics Associate certificate in a two-level stackable pathway.
What is the difference between the CLA and the CLT? The CLA is the foundational-level certificate covering core logistics environment knowledge, equipment operation, safety, quality, communication, teamwork, and computer applications. The CLT is the mid-level certification building on CLA with specific operational competencies including receiving, stocking, order processing, shipping, inventory control, hazmat handling, transportation evaluation, and dispatch and tracking.
Is the CLT program accredited? Yes. MSSC is the only ISO Standard 17024 certified program covering entry-level to basic front-line supervisor skills in logistics, and the CLT program is nationally recognized and federally endorsed by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, Justice, and Veterans Affairs.
Can CLT credentials be stacked with other certifications? Yes. CLT is stackable under the NAM-endorsed Skills Certification System and can be coordinated with ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate, NIMS, AWS, SME, APICS, and ASTL credentials.
Does the CLT program articulate between high school and college? Yes. The CLT pathway is designed to articulate between secondary and post-secondary programs, allowing students to begin certification at the high school level and continue at the college level without repeating demonstrated competencies.
What states does Klein Educational serve? We serve California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska.
Ready to Add CLT Certification to Your Program?
Whether you are building a new logistics career pathway or adding CLT credentialing to an existing supply chain or warehouse operations program, our team will help you connect with MSSC and get your program set up for certification delivery.