Another way, no student fees, no student loan, no clearing, paid from the employer levy pot. Zak, a Carmen Livery Apprentice from the age of 14, a love of transport, a London Apprentice Challenge winner, has taken top level academic career step to the management degree at Ruskin College, Oxford. No clearing , entry via employment in Transport logistics. Levy paid with no student fees, three years including on-the-job trade learning in true livery tradition. He is a fourth generation transport youngster and will have no student loan or fees to pay back. Learning and evolving in sector in the true ethos of a livery-like guild experience of on-job learning.
His Carmen livery master is Past Master Leon Daniels former TfL, who completed the Carmen apprentice London multi-modal challenge with his apprentice in a top time to set the tone for next generation of the Carmen. The next step for this apprentice / Leon Daniels comments, ‘Completing the Carmen challenge with Zak was an interactive multi-modal trip across the London network and an insight for him to see the opportunity of transport platforms in the Capital. It's great news Zak is taking the next step to management via the Oxford degree route of a Hons degree in transport.’
Zak is pleased to be a viable candidate for Express Logistics Manager L6 degree course. ‘I am the 4th generation of my family working in the transport and logistics sector and I am honoured to have been given this opportunity to further expand my education and to provide a future to an industry that my family has been a part of and supported since the turn of the 20th century. I am getting the best of both worlds with on job learning and time on campus at Oxford, the whole thing paid by employer levy, I have no student fees or student loan to pay.’ I am a proud to have been a livery guild apprentice since the age of 14 of The Worshipful Company of Carmen, the historic livery company with over 500 years of relations to the transport and logistics sector. As an apprentice of this historic and prominent transport organisation I have had the pleasure of completing the London Apprentice challenge event, my winning time for the challenge was presented to me by Lord Peter Hendy, DfT Lords Minister at the House of Lords 2024.’
Carl Lomas leads the London transport challenge which has branched out to other liveries beyond the Carmen, it is part of a wide variety of University engagement events for individual Carmen apprentices in transport, providing Univ sample days and career stairways that are paid under old school, on job guild-like learning routes paid by levy. Lomas comments, ‘It's great to see a young Transport Carmen get a step into Oxford and deliver the dream of our sector for top level transport education, delivering our next generation from the livery.’ ‘Fantastic to see Zak follow a stairway from livery apprentice Carmen at the age of 14 to Hons degree student in transport logistics, the sector is his oyster!’
University Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter John CBE – ‘I welcome the Express Logistics Sector to Ruskin Oxford, ‘During the 1980s this was a sector that people just found themselves in. However, the advent and rapid growth of internet-generated sales created demand for a new breed of logistics professionals; those who are able to locate and transport goods to precise and demanding delivery specifications. As a result, there is today a degree level stairway of qualifications. Carmen apprentice Zak, here today at Ruskin has stepped onto that stairway.’
Worshipful livery of the Carmen, Master Andy Miles ‘I am pleased to see the continuation by all for the need to maintain and advance the industry through professionalism and training. Training is and should be a lifelong journey that develops with the student and their needs and career. Great to see more Carmen advancing their careers through this apprenticeship stairway.’
Course lead, Dr Tracey Worth, ‘The Hons Degree at Ruskin College, Oxford is a real world job learning environment blended to academia on-campus learning at Oxford; it’s the whole Oxford experience - access to the Bodleian library, a who’s who of guest speakers ahead, from Govt transport body leaders to IOC fellows expert in subjects from security to eco and compliance. The 2027 course start date is June 22nd
Students get trade body support of the Inst of Couriers, a dedicated course textbook follows the modules. Highly integrated assessments that have dynamic real word sector engagement, material covered from latest drone delivery to traditional values of customer promise to place a ‘can-do' attitude of transport sector into true career steps for the sector of transport. It’s a natural stairway to logistics management.’
Janet Rowson – director for apprenticeships at Ruskin. ‘I was delighted to meet Zak and the 2026 cohort of Express Delivery Managers apprentices joining the University at the Ruskin College Oxford campus. Zak as a degree apprentice will be the next generation of logistic managers who will be up to date on their knowledge, skills and new thinking so they can bring dynamic change to their industry and build resilience to deal with the challenges in express final mile . Well done Zak and good luck.’
