UK forwarders welcome approval of apprentice scheme

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has welcomed the Institute for Apprenticeships’ (IfA)  final approval of the new International Freight Forwarding Specialist apprenticeship scheme.
Over the past 18 months, BIFA has been supporting a group of employers from the freight and logistics sector to develop a standard for a specific freight forwarding apprenticeship.

Set at Level 3 (A Level) with a minimum duration of 18 months, the new apprenticeship will provide students with core knowledge and skills including; industry awareness, customs procedures and commercial skills.

At the beginning of the programme, apprentices will also be given one of three pathways; airfreight, ocean freight or road freight, to reflect the focus of freight forwarders’ operations. Whichever pathway apprentices take, specific knowledge and skills will be acquired in addition to the three mandatory modules.

Carl Hobbis, BIFA’s training development manager, said: “This really is great news and a significant milestone and will definitely help us to attract more young people to the industry.

“It is a feather in the cap of those in the trailblazer group, which has been resolute in recognising the importance and potential value of a relevant apprenticeship that is specific to the forwarding sector.

“With customs legislation getting more complex, and the unknown landscape post-Brexit, it will be even more important to promote careers in our industry in many ways – and there’s no better way than through a relevant apprenticeship, which we now have."

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