Dept for Education gave the green light for a degree apprenticeship for Express managers as part of the Trailblazer apprenticeships Sept 16th 2016.

IOC chair, Carl Lomas comments,

This will deliver a funded route, for levy and non-levy paying employers, lasting around five years, targeting next-generation entrants and existing team members aspiring to management in the express sector. The five year course will begin with management cpc or FORS practitioner and roll into a part-time degree study with a range of Universities including Derby, MMU, and West London.

Expected to start Sept 2017, a candidate will begin a job role in our sector, have no university fees to pay and be able to attain their degree within five years. There will be strong content on customer, final mile success, returns and sortation hubs. LoCity, air quality and delivery practices will be embedded into the learning.

Proposal to develop apprenticeship standard degree apprenticeship logistics manager went into  BIS March 29 by IOC in collaboration with University of Derby and a strong employer group that first met over two years ago.

A strong employer group with a track record at level 2 and submissions of a career path to level four all in development; foundation degrees were first discussed by the group more than 18 months ago.

IOC has acted as secretary to  the express delivery group chaired by Justin Moore, CitySprint. IOC have ready completed work to develop the Level 2 standard for express delivery drivers/couriers & provided an expression of interest to develop levels 3 & 4 in express logistics.

Justin Moore,

I have written to BIS seeking approval for the development of a level 6 standard for such a degree apprenticeship.  I have asked Carl Lomas CBE, IOC to continue to provide secretariat services to the group and lead this work.

IOC chair Carl Lomas was at Derby University for 2016 logistics week to see student success and logistics excellence. Prof Ming Lim introduced Emily Key who finishes the undergraduate logistics course in Sept to take a role at DHL. 2016 year will see other undergraduates alongside Emily ready for work in the sector of e-retail at the heart of the East Midlands transport hot-spot in the inspirational postcode of the D2N2 LEP.