The UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) is launching the first ever independently accredited Warehouse Manager CPC in January, kicking off its 2024 Year of Warehousing campaign, which was announced at the UKWA House of Lords Parliamentary Luncheon in October.

The new qualification has been designed to be equivalent to the Transport Manager CPC and is part of UKWA’s commitment to driving up standards within the industry. The first UKWA Warehouse Manager CPC course is scheduled to start on January 8 2024 in the East Midlands.

The launch of the new CPC course in January will also mark the beginning of the UKWA Year of Warehousing, which will focus on showcasing the best of warehousing, and includes a schedule of 80 warehouse visits across the UK by UKWA chief executive Clare Bottle to mark the UKWA’s 80th anniversary.

According to Bottle, the CPC is intended to support the sector in attracting and retaining talented people, while equipping them with the latest knowledge skills and behaviours required in a modern warehouse.

UKWA-Warehouse-CPC

“A report from Prologis earlier this year revealed that logistics workers value opportunities for career progression. Yet, until now there has been no recognised qualification for warehouse managers,” she said.

“In addition, while most senior managers in logistics do not have a university degree, the sector offers real social mobility for those with limited qualifications to gain training and move up to management positions.

She added: “Warehousing is a working environment where many have started with entry-level jobs such as picking & packing and have risen to more senior roles through experience on the job. While this is good news, it also means that some staff have never received any formal training for their role, and therefore may not be performing to the very best of their abilit

The Warehouse Management CPC builds on the UKWA’s short Warehouse Management Course. Co-written and delivered by independent consultants Ruth Waring and Gwynne Richards, author of Kogan Page’s text-book Warehouse Management, the Level 3 CPC course is accredited by CILT. It will provide a recognised qualification that supports employee development and is set to become an industry standard for the warehousing sector.

The Warehouse Manager CPC will be taught as a two-week course, including in-person classroom tuition covering all aspects of warehousing, with candidates assessed by examination to ensure high standards are met. Currently, UKWA is recruiting the first cohort for 2024, with plans to introduce further courses in the future.

Bottle concluded: “Investing in your people is simply common sense. Training shouldn’t end after induction, nor should it be limited to current job responsibilities. Offering ongoing training for employees to hone professional skills and advance their careers provides clear benefits for both the individual and the company.

“If staff are motivated to learn as much as they can, they are more likely to improve their performance, their income and their overall happiness. The better they do, the more satisfied and engaged they are, the better overall employee retention. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

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