Career-wise, my best achievement to date has been taking a step up from shipping management to an Import Operations Supervisor at 25. This involved recruiting and building my team up. I’m the one they look up to, to make important and financial decisions. I really enjoy the challenge.
Why would you encourage young people to consider a career in freight forwarding or logistics?
No day is ever the same and you are constantly learning and improving your interpersonal skills. Everything you come in contact with on a daily basis, from your phone to food to the clothes you wear, all involves moving from A to B. Sometimes you have a direct impact on that supply chain. If you enjoy challenges and problem solving, with the right training/mentoring, you could travel the world working on projects and different methods of transport. The opportunities are limitless which few other industries offer.
How did you get into the industry?
My family has a transport and warehousing background, so I was always drawn to the industry early on. As a child, my father used to take me to work at the airport and I could see everything that happened in the background; so you could say I was already in the industry from that point onwards.
What does your current role entail on a day-to-day basis?
My current role is to consult with and manage my clients on their supply chain needs. Specialising in multi-modal freight means I deal with every type of transport across the globe.
Tell us about the best parts of your job.
The best part for me is seeing a particularly difficult product/client/event that you worked hard to manage, in a shop or on tv. Not many people will know the work that was involved but is very rewarding to see your hard work successfully fulfilled, even if only by you.
What is the most interesting product that you have shipped?
I assumed that, after a few years working in this industry, I would have seen it all but it always surprises me! The most interesting product that I shipped was containers into the UK for the Royal Family; they had five Range Rovers temporarily imported for their holiday and re-exported back afterward. I also had to export, by air, a life-like scientific model human for a university lecture. I remember my operator using the x-ray machine having the fright of his life seeing a skeleton going through!
What advice would you give to young people when they first get into a role?
Firstly, any opportunity you see which involves training, take it, as the more you learn the more positive benefits you’ll gain. Secondly, find a great mentor who can help guide a path so you always know where you are and where you want to get to. Thirdly, never be afraid to pick up the phone and speak to clients as the more you do, the more confident you become, especially when they have questions. Finally, build-up your professional network, the BIFA Young Forwarder Network can help with that.
How important is support from the colleagues?
Support is very important as the team you work with have all come from different companies and have different levels and areas of expertise. 95% of the time, problems I couldn’t solve, would have been dealt with by one of my colleagues.
What is your proudest achievement?
Career-wise, my best achievement to date has been taking a step up from shipping management to an Import Operations Supervisor at 25. This involved recruiting and building my team up. I’m the one they look up to, to make important and financial decisions. I really enjoy the challenge. My proudest personal achievement was when I went to Shanghai by myself for a networking conference a few years ago. I had to book my own flights, hotel and visa in order to secure business for the company. Being 23, that was a big achievement for me as I had never flown on my own before, especially to Asia!
Finally, can you remember what you spent your first pay-check on?
I remember my first pay cheque being £80 for the week and I thought to myself ‘I’m getting a Ferrari next week’. Shortly after that, my parents reminded me that now I’m an adult, I have to pay housekeeping so half went to them!
