Transport and Logistics
Food, clothes, heating without behind-the-scenes organisation we would all be cold and hungry, says Nick Hubbard of the University of Huddersfield
From Which Course? magazine. Issue 30.4
Published: 31 January 2002
Logistics is concerned with strategically managing the supply chain so that the right goods get to the right place, in the right quantity, at the right time, at the right quality and at the right price. It is essential for manufacturers, retailers, governments, aid agencies and others, involving a wide range of business functions including, transport, warehousing, inventory management, purchasing, marketing and, significantly, IT systems.
A central focus of all business organisations today is the management of their supply chains. A typical supply chain for a product involves input from the supplier, producer, distribution centre, retailer and consumer, whilst transport is the link between all stages. Effective supply chain management can only be practised where information is shared and flows freely between stages of the supply chain. Elements of such systems are now familiar to us, such as bar coding and EPOS (electronic point of sale) in supermarkets but the processes are complex and the implications for us all are serious when things go wrong.
Courses available
There is now a handful of UK universities offering specialist undergraduate transport and logistics degrees. The core programme of all the degrees in this subject area equips students with a range of knowledge-based and transferable skills (e.g. report writing and making a presentation), which will enable them to become effective transport and logistics managers. Modules include economics, law, accountancy, IT, statistics, transport policy, distribution management, purchasing and supply, logistics management and strategic management. On some courses there is also the opportunity to study a European language, manufacturing or even specialist food science modules.
Most degrees feature a one-year salaried placement in industry, where you can put all this theory into practice and gain valuable experience. The range of companies providing this placement experience is extremely varied and some placements are based overseas.
Entry routes
Students from a wide range of academic backgrounds take transport and logistics courses. Many students enter after completing their Advanced (A)/Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level or equivalent studies and, whilst there are no specific subjects required, economics, business studies, maths, geography or computing are very relevant. Vocational A-level (formerly known as Advanced GNVQ) students are welcomed from courses such as business and finance, information technology or retail and distributive services.
Many students have a family connection in the transport and logistics sector, while many others have had work experience with retailers or professional logistics companies. There are increasing numbers of overseas students following these programmes at UK universities, with the result that student groups are very cosmopolitan.
Career opportunities
The logistics sector requires intelligent graduates with excellent personal and communication skills. There are four main areas of graduate employment as follows:
- Professional logistics companies specialising in providing transport, warehousing and other logistics services to other companies. Examples include Wincanton Logistics, TNT, Exel Logistics, Tibbett & Britten
- Manufacturers. Examples include Bass Brewers, Kodak, Nestle, Kellogg's
- Retailers. Examples include Tesco, Safeway, Next, Argos
- Others. This group includes passenger transport operators, IT consultancies, local authorities
Graduate employment rates are in excess of 90 per cent within six months of graduation. The starting point is typically on a graduate management training programme at a salary of just over £18,000. Within two years, these graduates should progress to an operational role within the company and, in respect to distribution, would expect to move to a responsible operations management position with a £30,000 salary within five years. Research undertaken at the University of Huddersfield indicates that the average earnings of its transport and logistics graduates are £45,000 10 years after graduation.
Logistics goes on behind the scenes. It is often overlooked until something goes wrong. It is a practical discipline, concerned with planning and management, and is very much focused on getting things done. There is currently a severe shortage of transport and logistics graduates in the UK.
For further information:
Contact the Institute of Logistics and Transport on 01536 740100 or visit the website at: www.iolt.org.uk/careers
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