Logistics & Transport

Get your career on the move with a logistics qualification

Logistics and transport is about moving, storing and supplying things. This includes anything and everything, from people and animals to goods and services.

Without logistics personnel our lives would be very different. The logistics and transport industry is responsible for the way we travel and the supply of everything we purchase, either in a shop or on the internet.

Every person and industry in the world is influenced by, and depends upon, transport and logistics. This means that there are plenty of diverse careers available in this exciting, fast-paced and ever-changing sector.

Our logistics and transport team are committed to providing you with top quality programmes that are taught by industry- trained professionals.

We also offer short courses if you are currently working in the sector to further your study, including driver CPC courses.

The Thames Estuary is a hub of logistic and transport businesses and there has never been a better time to study logistics. If you are ready to pursue your dream career in this important and fascinating area, South Essex College is the place for you.

For more information you can contact the Logistics team by emailing

logisticsteam@southessex.ac.uk


Careers in the logistics sector


LGV Driver

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This can be a diverse occupation in terms of the vehicles an LGV driver could operate in this particular sector of logistics. Multi Drop vehicle driving sees the driver delivering and or collecting goods from 5 to 50 customers points over a typical working day. A small van or courier type role would deliver or collect in excess of this number over a shift. Long distance drivers including Tanker Drivers would cover a wider geographical area of delivery than multi drop operators, and in some cases, would require an overnight stop away from their respective base. These roles can demand a high salary along with a range of bonuses which would take annual salaries above £50k.

This sector is highly regulated in terms of driver hours and working hours therefore drivers have a high degree of protection regards their employment rights. LGV drivers can work in a wide range of industry sectors for example construction, retail or general logistics on behalf of freight forwarding organisations. Salaries normally from £17k - £50k plus, depending with which organisation and what type of driving the individual undertakes. The key skills required to be successful in this particular sector are good communication, able to follow instructions and be compliant, whilst acting on their own initiative when required.


Freight Forwarding

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This is a specialised area of the logistics and supply chain sector and is crucial in ensuring that goods are transported efficiently locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, in order to meet their final destination. This is predominantly an administration type role, whereby the Freight Forwarder is in constant communication with shipping companies, other freight forwarding organisations, clients and numerous client and logistics organisations within the supply chain sector. This role is predominantly centred around using a computer terminal therefore basic IT skills are a key requirement for this career option, along with competence in communicating by telephone to clients, customers and fellow supply chain operatives.

Communication and people skills are an important requirement for this role, along with being analytical and multi-tasking. The freight forwarding industry is very diverse in terms of the types of organisations that operate in this sector, from big multi nationals to small individual enterprises that may only employ 1 or 2 people. Normally freight forwarding personnel specialise in one mode of transport, road, sea or air therefore they become specialist in their own right. Salaries can vary from £20 - £30k, but there are instances of some Freight Forwarding Managers earning up to £50k dependent in which organisation they are employed.


Traffic Officer

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Similar to the Freight Forwarding role, this is an admin role that is associated with road transport and is integral to the success of any road based operation. A Traffic Office Manager is responsible for ensuring the vehicles are in the right place, at the right time and meet the needs of the customer, notably Freight Forwarders. This role ensures their employer is complying with driver hour regulation therefore they plan the working periods of the drivers to ensure they meet the legal obligation. Traffic Office personal will also ensure that all driving records, delivery and collection schedules, Tachograph data etc is collected, analysed and stored, again to meet the legal requirements of this operation.

This is a very dynamic environment where decisions are made “minute by minute” in some instances of client demands and road traffic conditions. Any one working in this type of role will need to be a good communicator with good people and customer service skills. Able to make decisions independently is an imperative once the individual gains experience within this environment. Salaries are typically £25k - £35k but again can be influenced by the type of organisation the traffic office employee works with.


Supply Chain Practitioners

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This role is normally found within manufacturing, production and retail in particular, as the key element is to match forecast with demand, for their respective products. The role of Supply Chain practitioners is to liaise with a wide range of departments within their organisation to ascertain the forecasting and perceived demand for this, whereby they look ensure that the products, goods, components or raw material in the case of manufacturing and production are in the right place at the right time in order to meet the demand of the customer, client or end user. This is a very integrated role within a wide range of organisations and is becoming increasing complex, as demand forecasting is now entering into the realms of AI and other elements of automation.

Supply chain Practitioners occupy a strategic role within their respective companies, therefore salaries can be well rewarding indeed, in some cases in excess of £100k if working with multi national organisations. This is becoming an increasing technical role and therefore successful Supply Chain Practitioners need to be highly skilled analysist, planners, with a high level of communication and people skills. The average salary for this role would be around £35k - £60k but there are a significant amount of scope to earn significantly more in these roles.

Career destinations
  • HGV driver
  • Warehouse operative
  • Transport supervisor
  • Logistics manager
  • International freight forwarding officer
  • Stock control assistant
  • Business analyst
  • Inventory manager
  • Supply chain leader
  • Data scientist
  • Procurement professional

For more information you can contact the Logistics team by emailing

logisticsteam@southessex.ac.uk