BIFA Awards
of working, so you have to read the situation, understand and adapt to build relations.“ This skill has helped Joe successfully mentor 13 other apprentices so far. Not only does he strive to be an approachable source of knowledge for young recruits, he also runs regular social events to help integrate apprentices into the company. “If they enjoy it here and like the people they’re working with, then we’ve got workers for a longer period, less staff turnover – and people who know what they’re doing,” he pointed out. “I enjoy seeing school leavers becoming competent employees, passing their exams and contributing to the company. “That growth is the most satisfying thing about mentoring: knowing you’ve contributed to a person’s career development.” Superpower All this is very impressive in itself – and all the more so given that Joe was diagnosed with severe dyslexia and ADHD at the age of eight, and found it dif fi cult to transition to work However, tools like voice-to-text, text readers and GenAI technology have been useful, alongside support from his managers. Now, he said: “I use my ADHD as a superpower to hyperfocus on speci fi c tasks and developed my own style of work. The result is, I write technical documents and standard operating procedures for my department and navigate my way through very complex regulated processes to explore areas of expertise new to my company.” Outside of work, Joe is a keen cricketer and has played for the Essex disability cricket team in the Disability Premier League. “Cricket de fi nitely feeds into my work; for instance I’ve played in eight or nine fi nals with Essex, and that teaches you how to handle high-pressure situations. I’ve also seen people with disabilities having normal jobs, which was very motivating for me because I’d been told I’d always struggle. “I enjoy logistics and it challenges me; I can’t see myself changing industries,” Joe concluded. in a heavily text-based and communication-dependent environment.
Joe (left) with Essex County Cricket Club captain Tom Westley
Joe brings a superpower to overcome challenges
BIFA Apprentice of the Year Joseph Freestone has passed two apprenticeships since entering the world of logistics. Among his talents is an ability to turn obstacles into opportunities... “ I enjoy
J oe Freestone has a natural thirst for knowledge – highly advantageous when embarking on a career in freight, where the learning curve is steep and no day is the same. During his fi rst apprenticeship, he said: “I learnt a lot, moving around different departments, getting different perspectives and learning about the requirements for different types of cargo. “Then I thought I’d like to get into management in the future so I did a second apprenticeship, in management. I learnt to deal with different people and organisations.” Complex scenarios Customs entry clerk Joe has also taken on responsibility for more complex scenarios such as ATA carnets – something Woodland Group had not done before. “The effect of acquiring this experience is my now documenting this knowledge and training colleagues to disseminate best practices across the company,” he
said. “It’s important that our staff are all fully trained so that they can take on new things to win extra business. It was hard work, but it’s satisfying to help others understand it.” Another of Joe’s strengths is interpersonal skills. “Emotional intelligence is one of the biggest things I learnt from my second apprenticeship. It helps you get the most out of yourself and others. Everyone has their own way
logistics and it challenges me; I can’t see myself changing industries – Joe Freestone
Apprentice of the Year
Menzies LLP provides financial and accounting expertise, combined with strategic commercial thinking. We understand your business via our in-depth sector knowledge and use a consultancy-led approach to challenge your objectives and guide your business growth. Each of our clients experiences our Brighter Thinking approach, the difference we make to our clients. With our in depth transport and logistics sector experience we promise to add real value across key areas of our clients’ businesses – to go further than just balancing the books.
18 | April 2025
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