Institute of Couriers Chairman, Carl Lomas rallied passion for this qualification to become a stepping-stone to the next generation of logistics industry management, commenting,

if they arrive at your door with a logistics degree, embedded with a management cpc, practical warehouse quals from ground level fork lift trucks and options from heavy vehicle licence to statistical traffic management, will you give them a job ?"

London Met Uni have made a commitment to work with us to develop an undergraduate logistics programme whose content is defined by this group of senior employers brought together by IOC . This is a real opportunity to create a programme that is both attractive to the brightest of students and brings confident, knowledgeable graduates into your companies . We need to guide the LMU team in their writing of the learning programme and agree with them the best blend of academic learning and workplace experience.

John Bowman, Skills for Logistics

Prof Stephen Perkins, London Metropolitan University's Faculty of Business & Law Dean, has promised a start date of autumn 2014 for the new undergraduates and post graduates highlighting the university's agility and flexibility. Subject of course to usual validation protocol.

We wish to make sure that our graduates receive the education that the industry wants and offer both the student and the industry the opportunity to explore specialist sectors within freight. Let's recruit together: you employ them, and we'll give them the quality education and professional development to assure they meet your business needs

An historic occasion that sees these business and higher education partners offering direct access to freight logistics education for the Sameday and overnight courier industry with guaranteed work placement.

IOC Tracey Worth then rallied two workshop sessions to focus on both the path taken into logistics by the heads of industry at the table had lead them to today and then what was needed for the next generation of tomorrow to gain such skills, knowledge and competence to be there tomorrow.

Rob Scott Director of GLH Couriers and Paul Byrne of Bibby Transport offering opinion on the content, validation and how it will be delivered. Mike Marjoram Royal Mail Couriers introduced the need of technology knowledge, Patrick Henry FIoC agreed that there is a great need by employers for the student to have a wide knowledge base. The choice of individuals at entry level was the leading comment by those at the table. Paul Gaut TNT talked of most of those in the industry came from other areas, accidently; 'from construction to the army to TNT', Motorbike riders progressing through to controller, office manager and up to director level. Jon Barber of APC and Delivered agreed with Justin Moore of CitySprint that 'we look from within to promote' but this leads to errors coming up through the ranks when the industry needs creativity and innovation. Kevin Grey FIoC and Services to Industry winner spoke of the need for an individual to have passion with knowledge for those 2am in the morning problems! The right DNA of an individual would be the motivation to meet the demands that our industry brings, educating them in our sector specific skills would then follow with passion and energy. Stephen Purkiss GLH discussed the issue of communication skills, people skills as well as physical communication through technology and face to face communication. Robert Massey Rush Couriers commented, an individual needs to inspire yet be prepared to make unpopular decisions. Paul Bryne Bibby Transport concurred that as a national company they promoted within, promoting individuals that had strong leadership, community and team work skills. Rob Scott concluded an individual must have presence.

Professor Andrew Halford, FBL Associate dean made comment on how the LMU could individualise the content stages.

The industry could add sandwich packets of real work environment to the university learning.

The meeting explored innovation around student engagement over the years of study, to assure highest levels of attainment - with time in the workplace blending with study time, both classroom, to network with co-learners and expert tutors, and in virtual learning environments. Outcomes would be capabilities development that meet both educational quality assurance and industry practice standards - entirely fitting for an industry surging ahead. The heads of industry all agreed that it would benefit both student and the company to have work placement that offered the opportunity to have 'a taste' of the industry. 'We need to get our hands on the right raw material/talent' 'We want knowledge' 'We want to entice the best talent having had an education in sector skills of customer service, H&S, CPC economics, sortation, order fulfilment and geography' The days discussions lead to a myriad of content, ideas, delivery length and work placement timings.

Jim Kelly the Chair of the London Met University Board summarised the discussion,

Logistics is the life blood of this City, we must get the next generation ready for what is becoming an unprecedented retail shift from home shopping to home delivery.

The last word given by the Dean Stephen Perkins

We will make our students employment ready

Professors of the University are engaging at hubs and depots to integrate knowledge need, the next meeting of heads of industry is set, Content Validation to be held on March 10th 2014.

• Rob Scott GLH
• Description:

  Rob Scott of GLH discussing the detail

• Paul Byrne Bibby
• Description:

  Paul Byrne, Bibby alongside Justin Moore, City Sprint & John Bowman, Skills for Logistics.

• Paul Gaut TNT
• Description:

  Paul Gaut, TNT alongside Robert Massey of Rush Couriers

• Steve Purkiss GLH
• Description:

  Stephen Purkiss, GLH IOC liaison for Transport for London

• Patrick Henry CILT
• Description:

  Patrick Henry, CILT NW region chair with Lt. Colonel Ian Stark RLC, British Forces Post Office services

• Jim Kelly LMU Chair
• Description:

  Jim Kelly, Chair of the London Met University Board of Governors