I am a Degree Apprentice at CEVA Logistics. When I joined, I worked in a warehouse environment within an operation. Then, due to the nature of my role as an apprentice not being fixed, I had the opportunity to move to the central role I am in currently. I now work across three teams within the Transition and Transformation business unit. The teams include Project Management, Business Process Excellence and Central Operations.
I will spend six months with each team, and as an example of the kind of work those teams do, the Project Management department completes all the internal and external projects within the business. Within this team, I have the opportunity to work on both new business implementations and internal changes. Business Process Excellence (BPE) is a team focusing on continuous improvement and standardisation.
This role consists of completing site classification assessments to ensure that all sites work to the same standards and then pushing beyond these to improve. It also includes supporting sites on their journey in continuously identifying and solving problems. The Japanese term for that is Kaizen (change for the better) and completing larger-scale improvement projects around the business.
Finally, the Central Operations team has a vast range of responsibilities. The Innovations team and the training department are included within this team, to name two. The team works to support new and existing businesses and ensure that everyone has the correct tools and training to work not only fully compliantly but also to a good standard.
To qualify for my apprenticeship, I needed GCSEs in Maths and English and then 3 A-Levels (with no preference as to which A-Levels). I currently attend Aston University, and I am completing a BSc in Supply Chain Management (Professional Practice).
I previously found my role through working with CEVA via an agency; during COVID, I worked as a Transport Clerk. During this time, I realised that I really enjoyed the environment, the company and the logistics sector as a whole. I felt the way CEVA operates aligns with my values as a person, which was a big thing for me. Also, as much as I was aware of the logistics industry, there were so many different routes I could have followed, so the complete range of opportunities within the business was huge for someone who was not yet sure which area of the sector would be best suited for them.
My favourite thing about my role is being able to make a change and empowering other people in the business to do the same. I also enjoy working at all levels of the organisation and teaching people good habits to operate in a lean way and create a good Kaizen culture. My career highlight would be being recognised for my work in the Project Management team and being shortlisted for the Rising Star of the Year award from Logistics UK.