Europa Worldwide Group has highlighted the career opportunities for school leavers in logistics as hundreds of thousands of students collect their A-level results today.
In a bid to engage with the next generation of logistics talent, Europa sponsors Generation Logistics, a nationwide initiative led by two industry associations - the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK) and Logistics UK.
The logistics operator is in its fourth year of supporting the initiative and it said the campaign had helped drive sector awareness by 37%.
Rhys Woolgrove, a van operator at the company’s European road freight division Europa Road, said: “In school I wasn’t motivated by university, all I wanted to do was get into a job and start working.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do and then a couple of people from Europa Worldwide Group came into my school… and straight away it got me interested, so I applied.
“I was thrown in at the deep end and started looking after a small pot of business, taking as much knowledge and experience as I could.
“From there I went onto looking after a key account and now I am working in the operational side.”
Ellie Hogg, sales account manager at Europa’s Newcastle road branch, joined the company as a school leaver in September 2019.
She said: “I chose not to go to university because, at the time, I was struggling to decide what I wanted to do long-term. I didn’t want to lock myself into a university course if I wasn’t fully passionate about it!
“I’ve always been more focused on gaining real-world experience, rather than continuing in a traditional academic setting and I’m more of a practical learner. Europa offered the opportunity to develop skills while working and earning, which really suited me and my goals.”
Cardiff-based customer service supervisor Luke Brand said: “I think it is important to note that a lot of young people do apprenticeships because they want to, not because they can’t go to university.
“I think there is a big stigma around this. Personally, I was offered to go to five different universities, however, studying wasn’t for me.
“Not only did I want to get earning and make money, but I also wanted to start my career early.
“Overall, I have been at Europa now for six years and I have loved every single minute of it.
“Every day has been completely different, which is something I love. I have had three promotions and learning on the job has been vital to my success so far.”
Europa Worldwide Group central services director Tom Jenkins said the company was a strong believer in supporting the next generation of logistics talent: “We feel it’s important school-leavers know their options,” he explained.
“University is not for everyone and within the logistics industry there are many opportunities to pursue a fulfilling and rewarding career – from on-the-job learning and development to apprenticeships and professional qualifications.”
