NEWS

Scroller on / off
While most students are more than happy for mum an...

Ever fancied yourself as the next Richard Branson?...

Students are being urged to be extra-cautious and ...

Speculation about the credit crunch and economic d...

Due to the economic downturn, finding that ideal j...

It may only be a TV reality show but the BBC's The...

For a start there’s the exciting city of Bir...

Being a nurse and working in the healthcare servic...

With the current gloom and doom about the economic...

Are you Socially Responsible? It's not too late to...

FEATURED EMPLOYER

FEATURED EMPLOYER

 

David Castle - Transport Team Manager - Sainsburys

David Castle - Transport Team Manager

Name: David Castle

Age: 22.

Degree and university: Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University

Job title:Transport Team Manager, Wincanton

 

Can you give your work title and what it is you actually do?

Day to day this job involves direct management of my driver colleagues in order to service Sainsbury’s stores. We have firm guidelines and timeframes to follow with all of our deliveries, and therefore part of the role is to ensure the stock arrives when the store expects it and not early or late! In this role there are several sophisticated Transport Management Systems, which require constant manipulation. It provides a good balance of man-management skills and the use of systems that are employed to run the transport operation.

Were you always interested in logistics as a career?

When I went to university I didn’t really know what I wanted to do afterwards. I had  enjoyed Psychology at college so thought that I would do this as a degree and then look at my options later. I did some work for Royal Mail throughout college & university and enjoyed the world of operations, so I decided that I would have a look at what the various graduate schemes of logistics companies had to offer. Wincanton has a very good scheme and after passing the assessment centres I started work in Gloucester in July 2006 before moving to Northampton in September 2007. I was most attracted by the diversity. I have had three different roles within operations so far and each has been very different. If I want to move out of operations in the future there is plenty of scope to do so. Overall, I’m very pleased with the career choice I have made.

How did you find out about this particular career/job?

I did sign up to a couple of the graduate jobs websites but I tended to do my own research on the internet. Having worked for Royal Mail I was already aware of some of the major logistics companies. I would recommend doing some of your own research on company websites and reading some of the case studies from previous graduates.

To what extent have your postgraduate studies helped your career?

In March 2007 I took my National CPC in Transport (Certificate of Professional Competence). This allows you to hold the Operators Licence, which is required to run any transport operation. I completed a two-week course which culminated in three written exams. It was a highly enjoyable course and gave me an in-depth insight into transport.

What do you like most about your job?

No two days are ever the same. When I was looking for potential careers the one thing that was most important to me was that it had to be varied and not bore me! If that is what interests you then logistics is definitely an option you should look at. Not every day runs as smoothly as you would like it to, but it is all part of the challenge.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

As long as you are willing to learn then there is immense room for development. If you’re looking for a 9 to 5 job then logistics isn’t for you, but if you want something that can challenge you any time of any day, then go for it!


Add to Delecious Digg Reddit Stumbleupon Furl Simpy Yahoo myweb


You need to be logged in to vote.

Article rating:
  • 0/5 Stars.
Send it to a friend | Comments (0)
Thanks for rating!

Send to a friend

To:  


From:
 

  JCapture


Thank you for posting. You message will be moderated before going live on the site

Post a comment



Comments

Comments

No comments....



 

EMPLOYERS

Decathlon We are looking for people driven by enthusiasm who have a sense of... more
Aldi A tale of unrivalled success. That’s the Aldi story, with ov... more
ASDA You already know the name. So how about some credentials: voted th... more
Sainsbury's In our efforts to make Sainsbury's great again price, product rang... more
Debenhams Debenhams has 145 stores across the UK and Ireland and a fully tra... more
BHS Since Bhs first opened its doors in 1928, we’ve become a maj... more
Boots We are a leading international pharmacy-led health and beauty grou... more
Tesco Do you want a scheme which offers graduates a balance of practical... more
Next Our teams are creative and expressive, spurring innovative ideas a... more
Marks & Spencer A perfectly balanced combination of on-the-job learning, classroom... more
View all Employers

LATEST JOBS

Title Organisation Apply by
Campus Brand Manager Real World Magazine
Chartered Accountancy ACA Trainee ICAEW 27 Nov 2008
View all Jobs

CASE STUDIES

David Castle - Transport Team Manager

David Castle - Transport Team Manager - Sainsburys

When I went to university I didn’t really know what I wanted to do... more

Matt-Paton

Matt Paton - Tesco - Merchandise Planner, Fashion

It’s the fast paced, dynamic and diverse nature of Tesco that first... more

Louisa-Dowson

Louisa Dowson - Tesco - Support Office

The working environment is founded on trust so there’s an expectation... more

Eileen-Parkes

Eileen Parkes - Real World Diversity - Mature Students

I enrolled at a local college in women’s options and studies course.... more

View all Case Studies

ADVICE

Little-Britain

Careers around the UK, Little Britain

While London has plenty to offer graduates, the regions should not be overlooked... more

All change - Job hopping

FINDING THE PERFECT JOB CAN BE A CASE OF TRIAL AND ERROR. BUT WHAT DO RECRUITERS... more

lust-for-life

Lust for life

Your career is the biggest lifestyle choice you will ever make. It determines... more

ADVICE

5 steps to career clarity

5 Steps to Career Clarity... more

View all Articles