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Transport and logistics

Transport
Transport and logistics are about moving people and products around. Jobs include taxi drivers, pilots, exporters, warehouse staff and airport baggage handlers.
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Are you interested in getting a qualification in this area? Look for a course at local sixth forms and FE colleges on My Choice Notts(Nottinghamshire and just over the border). For higher education courses go to UCAS

 

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The transport and logistics sector includes everything to do with driving vehicles, or other modes of transport, and moving products around the country or world.  Jobs include lorry, bus and train drivers, driving instructors, pilots and merchant navy captains. As well as jobs involving driving (or flying), there are many support roles such as transport planners, warehouse packers, enquiry and ticket sale staff and health and safety managers.

Transport planning plays an important role, making sure that rail and road routes can cope with the amount of traffic or passengers on them and looking into new developments such as new airports or runways. Transport planners are professionals, often with backgrounds in civil engineering, logistics or the environment.

Logistics is about moving products around the world and can involve lots of different types of transport and packing. The goods also need to be stored somewhere before they're moved so people are needed to work in large warehouses.

Many of the jobs in this sector involve shift work or working nights and weekends. You may also find yourself travelling around the country or world.

How can you get into this type of work? 

Your Personal Adviser will be able to discuss your options with you.

  • School or college - study for GCSEs, AS / A levels, a diploma, NVQs or other vocational qualifications that could lead to a job, an Apprenticeship, further qualifications or even a degree.

  • e2e (Entry to Employment) - if you’re not sure if you’re suited to this job you might be able to get some work experience through e2e. It can also give you extra support to gain the right qualifications, get onto a training programme or get a job.

  • Apprenticeship - train ‘on-the-job’ with a wage or allowance. For the latest Apprenticeship vacancies in Nottinghamshire go to Vacancies Online.

  • Work or work with training

What else can I do?

  • Get some work experience.

  • Brush up on some of your skills such as ICT and customer service

As well as qualifications, employers also look for the skills
people have when they’re applying for jobs. Here are the
skills that most employers are looking for from you:

  • Team work

  • Communication

  • Problem solving

  • Negotiating

  • ICT

Skills

Four one pound pieces

Wages will vary depending on where in the country you work and between different organisations.

Job Title Average weekly salary * Average annual salary
Heavy goods vehicle drivers £470.00 £24,440

Bus and coach drivers

£401.40

£20,873

Taxi, cab drivers and chauffeurs

£270.30

£14,056

Fork lift truck drivers

£359.70

£18,703

Transport and distribution managers

£652.50

£32,526

Storage and warehouse managers

£625.50

£32,526

Train drivers

£768.90

£39,983
 Air traffic controllers £1,049.00 £54,548
 Rail travel assistants £527.70 £27,440
 Transport and distribution clerks £417.60 £21,714

Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS 2009

*Based on gross pay (before you have anything deducted) and not including overtime or tips.

Note: this doesn't include self-employed

What’s happening in the industry?

Changes in the economy can affect this sector. For example, when people don't feel they have as much money to spend, they may choose not to fly abroad for their holidays. More people are also choosing to use public transport. The cost of fuel around the world can affect the amount of goods and passengers that are moved around.

In the UK there are many large projects involving transport. For example, the 2012 Olympics needs good transport links from around London and beyond. There are also plans in some areas for better cycle routes and tram networks. However, there is currently a shortage of transport planners to help plan these projects.

In the future, there will continue to be jobs in reducing traffic congestion and the impact of traffic on the environment. People will also be needed to improve accessibility to public transport and to reduce accidents.  Developments in technology will help to improve the logistics sector by introducing more robots and 'intelligent' stock level systems. 

See the 'Notts Info'section for what's happening locally.

Everything from food delivery to parts for car manufacture depends on the transport network.  Location is important for the companies that move people and goods around.  Nottinghamshire, is in the centre of the UK - with both M1 and A1 roads and the East Coast Mainline railway passing through the county.  This makes it an important area for transport and logistics.

In the East Midlands region as a whole 10% of the workforce is employed in the sector. 

Both Ashfield and Mansfield Districts have industrial parks close to the M1 Junctions 27 and 28 with a number of distribution and logistics companies.  A new Logistics Skills Academy has opened at West Notts College to improve and develop skills for the industry in the East Midlands.

In Bassetlaw Logistics and food production (and the associated transport) are likely to continue to be important employment sectors. Future developments are likely to be around Worksop, Retford and Harworth Bircotes.

Newark has the advantage of being close to the A1 and the East Coast Mainline railway and there are a number of national distribution centres to the south.

Broxtowe has the highest number of jobs in transport and logistics, apart from Nottingham.  In Beeston the new Boots warehouse is one of the most sophisticated centralised automated distribution centres in the country - as goods are sold in shops, computers tell the warehouse to send more and they arrive the next day. Eventually, 1,200 staff will work on three shifts round the clock to effortlessly fill shop shelves.

Have a look at the industrial estates in your area for distribution companies

Airports have a variety of transport and logistics jobs.  Both East Midland Airport to the south of the county and Robin Hood Airport to the north near Doncaster advertise jobs on their websites.  

Number of people employed in the transport and logistics industry in Nottinghamshire

 

Area of Nottinghamshire

Number of workers*

Ashfield

2,235 

Bassetlaw

3,219 

Broxtowe

3,029 

Gedling

1,280 

Mansfield

1,543 

Newark and Sherwood

2,694 

Nottingham

6,549 

Rushcliffe

931 

Total

21,479 

 Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2008, ONS.

*These figures don’t include self-employed or casual workers

Key employers in this sector:

Ashfield

DMW Logistics Ltd

Prolog

Innovate

Bassetlaw

B &Q Distribution

Seafield Logistics

Wilkinsons Head office and Distribution centre

W.I.T. Transport 

Broxtowe

DHL

City Link

Coop Retail Logistics

Gedling

Park Logistics

John Lewis Service Centre

Mansfield

Royal Mail

Sportsworld Distribution (Shirebrook)

Newark & Sherwood

DSG Distribution (Currys/Dixons)

Griffins Logistics

Nottingham

Boots

TNT

As of January 2010

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