Standards for Apprenticeships
L2 to L6 standards documents
Delivery material
Guidance for delivering the qualifications
EQA
External Quality Assurance
Qualifications in the Express Logistics sector
IOC Chair, Carl Lomas,
Qualifications are key to our sector, both for compliance and future workforce, from driver front line to management. The IOC have been working closely with FE colleges, Universities, LEPs and DfE/IFA, The IOC have a 4 module workbook pack to accompany the express delivery operative level 2 apprenticeship, candidates are funded by levy. Candidates who complete the workbook on their apprenticeship journey are eligible for associate membership of the IOC.
A degree in Express logistics for next generation managers
IOC has two key qualification routes, management & delivery. For management, IOC is working with The University of West London in the Heathrow logistics hot spot and Derby University in the heart of the East Midlands gateway to deliver the first-ever undergraduate degree dedicated to our sector. A level six apprenticeship degree standard passed by the IFA. A level six text book is nearing publication.
An apprenticeship for sortation operatives ST0753
The very latest apprenticeship in Express was published in Nov 2021 for sortation operatives, focused on those working in the sortation hub, depot. IOC worked with operators to build a training plan for this new apprenticeship and a textbook for candidates to use during the 12 months of the course. The textbook begins with ‘what is this thing we call Express?’ the four streams of mail, parcel, food and meal, all delivery to door. Chapters follow a similar path to packages and parcels, early chapters look at goods delivered, then loaded to belt sort, moving to chute, sorting and separated to outbound final mile. There is a chapter on mail licencing and compliance in final mile. A chapter on security looks at threat and theft of parcel. A chapter looks at sort errors, belt failure, chute error, dealing with jams and later looking at maintenance.
An apprenticeship for Express operatives
There is level two apprenticeship for express operatives, it is free to candidates and funded by levy. The ‘Courier Trailblazer’ was a phase three application and evolved into ‘Trailblazer Express Delivery’, the standard submitted to BIS Nov 2015, live apprenticeship qualification in 2019. A full delivery pack for learners, a four workbook reflective journal portfolio to match the standard went live in 2020, rich in employer operator content. Employer support came from APC to Yodel, nationals from Hermes to DPD to SMEs such as Swift in Liverpool and GLH in London.
Justin Moore, chaired the strong employer group meetings talking Express driver operative at Level two.
We have outstanding contributions from so many employers, nationals, networks and local SMEs. The standard that will set the future qualification for the front line of our sector. It’s a big thank-you all round for everyone who has made this possible. This will be a vocational qualification for our front-line teams delivering at the client face.
Workbook modules for the apprenticeship level two, ‘Express delivery operative.'
IOC uniquely built a full learning delivery pack for the express delivery operative apprenticeship. Built with rich levels of operator content, ‘What is this thing we call Express?’ ‘Parcels larger than letters, smaller than pallets’ ‘Same day, next day schedules.’ ‘POB to empty.’ ‘Safe-guarding age related goods from knives to fireworks.’ The learning delivery pack is formed of four module workbooks, they can be completed in the job environment, interactive learning booklets with interpretation boxes for on the job notes, top tip lines from industry. Knowledge to do the job, skills blocks that follow experience in delivery, behaviour focused on brand, integrity and security at the door.
IOC acting EQA for DFT IFA
Ofqual is the official external quality auditor, IOC acting as the sector review body, IOC have built a one hundred question bank for the apprenticeship knowledge test, extensive simulation exercises and a pointer set for the professional discussion module of express delivery operative.
Going beyond the standard for express delivery operative apprenticeship
Candidates who complete the IOC work books with an apprenticeship pass qualify for access to associate membership of the IOC.
Message to schools
IOC deliver key note tuition express sector introductions to schools. Explaining the career stairway in logistics. The schools message for the next generation is key, taking the message of our sector as a career path. IOC have worked very closely with further education, FE, from West Thames College GTA at Heathrow to Buxton & Leek with their Skillbase driver training centre in the homeland of former Sec of State for transport Patrick Mcloughlin.
Jobcentre Plus – SWAP - ‘What is this thing we call express logistics?’
For adults looking at a step into the sector, IOC have worked with DWP Jobcentre Plus to develop a free of charge SWAP, Sector Work Academy Programme targeted at the unemployed entering sortation and express delivery roles.
Latest hot off the press news flash items can be found below.
Trailblazer employer group chairs teamed up for Lindsay McCurdy's national levy conference at Coventry. Much talk of deadlines and availability of end-point assessments.
Carl Lomas, ‘Express level 2 delivery operative still awaits final editorial clearance, the news may be any day.’
All-in logistics theme, passenger transport, waste management and education from Jo North.
The conference was driven by providers and delivered a wealth of information for employers; how to match employer size to provider size, scale up and work with the digital accounts from levy payments.
Peter Millington, standards development team at BIS DFE IOA, reported this week that the standard for the Express Manager has been published on the government web site. This is a milestone step for the next-generation managers in Express, final mile.
The new levy funding will pay the bill for candidates, (circa £25k). No University fees and the candidate will be working, paid in a job in express while learning both on the job, on the net and in the classrooms of supporting Universities.
What is logistics? How does it fit in the sector, Supply Chain, Transport Logistics and Express. BIS, DfE IfA, like others outside the sector are confused with our terminology.
Supply chain is about purchase, Logistics is about transport, road, rail air and sea. Road is vehicles and storage, Express is about final mile, postcode sortation, mail and final mile delivery.
Mick Jackson from the Skills Council set three clear streams for logistics many years ago for the Sector Stairway, they remain clear today and well signposted. LGV for heavy Transport, Warehouse and Storage and thirdly, Mail, express and courier.
Next generation managers look set to get their very own qualification for final mile, built by final mile employers. The qualification for the job role has been outlined at degree level for the pending levy to the department of education. This completes a stairway of opportunities for express final mile delivery in the new land of levy that ranges from front line driver to board level strategic manager and includes sortation in the hubs.
Justin Moore comments,
A Stairway of qualifications for our sector as the next generation of workforce evolves.
Express Manager Degree Apprenticeship Trailblazer workshop for Express employers sits at Heathrow.
Latest version of standard updated from January one-to-one employer meetings and the Heathrow employer workshop.
Help review the standard before submission on Feb 23
There have been a number of operational one-to-one meetings with employers and workshops north and south leading to the present draft standard, it's not too late to have your say and your input is very welcome to the group. V2 Standard here.
Express Trailblazer chair Justin Moore was at the Heathrow table to talk level six degree apprenticeships for the final mile, home delivery managers of the future.
This is about delivery, express delivery, final mile, delivering to customer chain in an evolving market of client requirements from e-retail.
IOC chair and Express employer group secretary Carl Lomas,
Express manager is not about storage, warehouse or supply purchase, this is about fulfilling final mile transport demand to customer for an evolving, new and exploding sector of logistics.
Hosting the workshop, Tracy Aust, Principal West Thames College comments
These trailblazers provide a fantastic opportunity to really meet the needs of one of the fastest growing sectors. From provision at level 2 through to provision at level 6, they offer a career path for those just entering the sector as well as providing opportunities and career progression for those employees that we already have working within the sector. The on-the-job training, provides the perfect mix to earn as you learn!
Information technology and education to provide next-generation workforce at Heathrow.
IT Master Connects up for driver simulation for System Training in the Heathrow logistics hotspot at West Thames College logistics excellence event.
Inst of Couriers chair, Carl Lomas was at the van simulator education launch with Colin Gordon, the information Technology livery Master Chris Histed, West Thames college principal Tracy Aust and West London University Matt Snowdon. A logistics hot-spot for next generation final mile workforce, combined with TfL LoCity event and a college open day to showcase to students a stairway of trailblazer qualifications in Express from driver to degree apprenticeship in the new land of levy.
Rich in express employers including Hermes and the Royal mail.
Levy land racing towards the employers, IOC proud to be at the Trailblazer DfE NEC conf to talk shop with express employers. Delivery targets for the express delivery level two and pending degree apprentice level 6 for Express Manager. Lomas was on hand to showcase the logistics journey of a pineapple around the world to free home delivery at final mile with DfE David Sampson.
Carl Creswell, Deputy Director DfE opened a full house at the NEC to applause of employers from across the UK.
A big thank-you for helping improve apprenticeships. This is a big programme, over 200 trailblazer groups. During this transition of change I thank you for employment input. Many DfE managers are moving into the Institute for Apprenticeships (IFA). 40% of frameworks turned off as the new standards come in. We are working to all starts of standards by 2020.
Institute of Couriers President, Viscount, Lord Falkland, ‘ This is a solution to the next generation workforce’.
Photo features Academic support for the new degree apprenticeship including West London University and Derby University.
Next generation workforce success for exploding final mile!
IOC president, Lord Falkland,
This is a solution to the next generation workforce in final mile and we should be proud of the dedication of employers in the sector who have given time, expertise and energy to reach this goal for our sector.
Breaking New Year news will report the details but here is a shot from the front page with the ink still wet. Success for next generation front line final mile. BIS, Dept for Education have cleared the Trailblazer level two standard for delivery.
DWP Logistics national team headed by Alex Farkas take a look at Express.
IOC chair Carl Lomas delivered the pineapple presentation to DWP regional managers to showcase exploding figures in Express, home delivery, final mile logistics. Retail shift from high street to home delivery was at the heart of the presentation using IMRG figures explaining trends of workforce move as shoppers changed to internet shop. Lomas talked Trailblazer from level 2 to 6, a job for life in an emerging sector of logistics as shopping trend moves from high street to e-retail internet shopping and home delivery.
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