MHI Solutions Improving Supply Chain Performance
WERC Matters
Filling a new role, Capellán leads MHI’s workforce initiatives.
As the material handling and supply chain industry continues to evolve rapidly, the pressure to build a skilled, diverse workforce has never been greater. Enter Pahola Capellán, MHI’s new Workforce Development Manager. She’s filling a new role within MHI created specifically to both inspire and recruit the workforce of the future, as well as to support professional development and retention opportunities with the MHI/Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) Knowledge Center Team.
Capellán brings a decade of experience connecting education to workforce opportunities, particularly for underrepresented communities. A social worker by training with a background in nonprofit management, she cut her teeth in New York City public schools and the City University of New York (CUNY) system. There, she helped scale a post‑secondary support program that ballooned in reach during the COVID‑19 pandemic—from 14,000 to 55,000 students.
Capellán’s mission evolved beyond helping disadvantaged students gain access to college. “In that role, I realized that college isn’t the right path for every student,” she said. “Instead, we needed to redefine what success looked like. That meant opening doors to trades, certifications and other career pathways.”
Pahola Capellán
New Role Unifies MHI and WERC’s Existing Workforce Initiatives
That philosophy—centered on access and practical outcomes—now underpins her role at MHI. Hired to unify a sprawling network of existing workforce initiatives, Capellán is tasked with connecting the dots between MHI’s various outreach and educational programs. These include:
- Student Day—A dedicated event for college, university, trade, technical, specialty and high school students to get a first‑hand look at the industry—including the latest technologies and career paths—while touring the show floor at MHI’s ProMat and MODEX.
- The College Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE)—An independent organization that supports and promotes education and research in material handling and logistics.
- The International Material Handling Research Colloquium (IMHRC)—A biennial platform for researchers and industry professionals to share and discuss research related to material handling and logistics.
- The Material Handling Teachers Institute (MHTI)—A biennial program for faculty and doctoral students who teach (or soon will) material handling, facility layout/design/logistics, operations or supply chain‑related courses in middle schools, high schools and post‑secondary institutions.
- The Material Handling Education Foundation (MHEFI)—A charitable organization that provides financial support to students pursuing education in material handling, logistics and supply chain.
- Regional and National Outreach—MHI routinely participates in and supports events such as FIRST Robotics and SkillsUSA.
Her mandate is rooted in MHI’s strategic workforce development initiatives: Inspire, Recruit, Develop, Retain. This framework of four pillars goes beyond mere branding, explained Capellán, who joined MHI in May.
“My first goal is to define a model for MHI’s approach to workforce development,” she said. “We’re doing so many great things—but we need to clarify how these efforts connect, who they serve and how we measure their impact.”
To achieve this, Capellán has been meeting with internal teams, members and partners to map what’s already in place, identify gaps and co‑create a shared vision. “I’m focused on aligning our outreach, education and workforce development programs so we’re not just doing great work—but doing it strategically and cohesively.”