Introductions – IOC Chair Carl Lomas MBE – Guests from major nationals to local specialist SMEs freight forwarder to network national. Employer questions focused on levy, the Express trailblazer has achieved funding caps at £4,900 per individual and delivery with sign-ups is getting close.

Esther Horner BIS / trailblazer express - English Apprenticeships: Government’s 2020 Vision. ‘3 million new apprentices by 2020, that’s one apprentice every five minutes. For this sector the govt approved the level two standard in march 2014, driven by you as employers. The assessment plan was approved may 2016, the total possible funding is 4,900 per candidate. The next challenge is finding your apprentice, National apprenticeship service, digital portal for employers & apprenticeship grant up to 1500 pounds for first 5 apprentices in an SME are all there to help. A L6 degree apprentice is in draft submission. The next step is the first starts for the level two express courier driver.

Sarah Bell University of Derby tabled the question set on degree apprenticeship needs and John Bowman researched express delivery workforce needs. Alex Farkas, sector head for logistics DWP was on hand for employer questions.

Touring the reality of hydrogen power in the car park with Dr Ben Todd & Richard Kemp Harper from Arcolaenergy. WTC principal Tracy Aust did a test drive in the silent motor, the only emission was water. Nicholas Dunhill from Parcel Space was on hand to ask the question, ‘Can technology give us significant extra improvements managing the last mile?’