Industry Promotion
The Freight Development Pathway – seven months after its launch School-leaver Swaie Lindo (left) wowed not just one, but two
A look at how the Manpower and BIFA Freight Development Pathway is beginning to help both employers and job-seekers interested in a career in freight forwarding
interviewers after completing the Freight Development Pathway. Here he is with his new employer, Lisa Larvin (right) from Future Forwarding, and the Pathway’s operations manager Mat Beecham (centre).
or marine. You are able to progress and reach new goals and continually work on your personal development,” she said. Caravel is another company that struggled to find the right candidate. “We had been looking to recruit another ocean freight operator for the past year or so,” explained Jeremy Shoesmith, Caravel business development manager. “However, the quality of candidates suitable for the position was very poor. Having read about the Freight Development Pathway through BIFA, I decided to attend one of the webinars promoting the Freight Pathway. “Having heard details of the preparation, vetting and basic training procedures which were in place to find suitable recruits, I decided to give it a go. The support I have received during the recruitment process has been excellent.” Gaining traction The Pathway is gaining traction by the day. “Awareness of the Pathway has noticeably increased, both with BIFA Members and also crucially candidates,” said Mat Beecham, operations manager for the Freight Development Pathway. “We are starting to be approached by candidates who have identified freight as an industry that could be for them, and they are using the Pathway to secure an entry level role.” Are you looking for entry level freight forwarding personnel for your business? Use the QR codes to get in touch with the Manpower Freight Team today, or visit the website for more information.
J uly has been a busy month for the Freight Development Pathway. In fact, the busiest since its launch in January this year. The three-week programme, which is run jointly by Manpower and BIFA, supports individuals into a career within office-based freight forwarding. Part of Manpower’s MyPath upskilling programme, the Pathway is working to change the perception of the freight industry, raise awareness of the varied career opportunities and address the current talent shortage in the sector. The programme does not stop at just developing knowledge particular to the freight forwarding industry. It is there for its candidates all the way. In June it welcomed its first school leaver, Swaie Lindo. Swaie had never had an interview before, so the programme provided additional coaching on top of the interview prep session included in the Pathway. As a result of this additional support, Swaie attended interviews with two BIFA members and received a job offer from both. Finding talent So, what is the path to finding the right freight talent for your business really like? The clue is in looking beyond just industry experience and instead focusing on the candidate as a whole. That includes taking into account both transferable and soft skills. Someone who did just that is
John McBride, branch manager at NNR Global Logistics. “The partnership between Manpower & BIFA is a game- changer in terms of identifying and attracting new talent into the freight industry,” said John. “The level of pre-screening involved helped demonstrate the candidate had a genuine interest in the industry. Had we gone down the normal recruitment route for our requirement, I do not think we would have identified someone who matches our values so well and who is evidently keen to learn.” Transferable skills Jonathan Williams, managing director of logistics at Williams Shipping, shared this experience. Jonathan hired Klaudia Korpas, one of the recent Pathway candidates. “Klaudia had lots of experience in a completely different industry, but they were skills that we felt would be interesting moving across into our freight and cargo division: she could work well under pressure; she has got the admin skills and is a very well organised person. “That gives her a great foundation and she will be able to learn everything about cargo handling on the job.” For Klaudia, the sentiment is mutual. “One of the things that appealed to me was that the industry offers a variety of different services, such as transport, shipping
Get in touch with the Manpower freight team
Manpower Group, Freight Development Pathway
Manpower My Path 14 | September 2023
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