Back to School: How to Start a Career in Logistics

It’s September, which means millions of people, young and old, are returning to an educational establishment of some variety in order to, ultimately, better their prospects in the employment market. Here at Barnes, we pride ourselves on employing experienced transport professionals in our teams, in order to ensure a superior service for our clients – but how exactly can one go about starting a career in logistics?

 

There is no one route into the logistics industry given the incredible variety in roles – leading to a diverse workplace filled with workers from a range of backgrounds.

 

For those who know that the supply chain industry is their goal, there are a huge range of higher education courses available – Coventry, Edge Hill and Liverpool John Moores are just a handful of Universities who offer degrees such in supply chain and transport management at both Bachelors and Masters levels.

 

Of course, it is certainly not uncommon that those at the age of 17 are unsure of which sector they wish to spend their post-graduate lives; so, logistics and supply chain courses are not the only path into a career. Those who have degrees based in law, business and management, IT, design or engineering will find a career in the logistics industry where their skills can flourish. From HR to fuel efficiency testing, working in an industry with high levels of professional standards and the strive for continual improvement will provide graduates with a challenging yet satisfying career.

 

Particularly in the last few years as fees have been hiked exponentially and interest rates on student debts seem to see no stability, going to University is not always a plausible, or even possible, route for young people to take. This is where the benefits of apprenticeships cannot be applauded loudly enough: providing the opportunity to gain relevant industry experience and training without the pressure of fee debts.

 

Early next year, the Supply Chain Academy is due to launch an integrated degree-apprenticeship, where students will be employed throughout their training, and will spend a fifth of their time on academic study. This is an incredibly exciting scheme that will allow apprentices to benefit from a fully professionalised course, leading to the younger generation entering the industry to bring far more skills than ever before.

 

Of course, we cannot discuss careers in the logistics industry without mentioning the most vital players in the supply chain: our drivers. To become a professional driver, one must be over 18 and hold a full car driving license in order to complete their Driver CPC – the Certificate of Professional Competence – on a provisional lorry license. Just as in a car driving test, the Driver CPC involves theoretical and practical tests; which incorporate hazard perception and the analysis of case studies.

 

Potential new drivers must then complete the practical test: lasting an hour and a half, drivers must answer questions on vehicle safety and complete both on and off-road driving. Finally, upon successfully passing the practical driving test one must complete a practical demonstration test, where one shows the ability to safely assess and load a HGV, their ability to deal with emergency situations and how to stop the trafficking of illegal immigrants – a subject much talked about in the news recently, as hauliers have seen a 12% increase in fines due to illegal migrants in their vehicles.

 

If a career in the diverse, exciting and demanding world of logistics is one which you might be considering, get in touch with our Barnes team today.