Many who join the logistics industry arrive with no prior experience of the sector, but for some, it’s a family business.

“My father was a Class One driver for over 50 years, I was brought up in and around road transport, travelling all over Europe with him during my school holidays. It ignited a passion for the industry.” The road was where Robert started his career too, as a driver.

You might not find Robert on the road so much these days, but his current role as Group Operations Manager at Kinaxia has offered just as much experience and variety. “I look after the operational requirements of our General Haulage and Network divisions, supporting the Managing Director with the development and growth of the business.”

Learning on the job was clearly something Robert picked up from his dad, too. “After GCSEs, I went straight into a modern apprenticeship studying business – this allowed me to go straight into a working environment whilst furthering my education.”

And those skills have been bolstered ever since, “I currently have my Transport Managers CPC, as part of our businesses Operators License. I also have my Class 1 licenses, but I use my ‘driver’ knowledge as a useful asset in planning now I’m office based.”

Neil’s interest in logistics was piqued after scratching the surface during his undergraduate degree. Having completed a few Logistics and Transport modules while he studied, he found a 12 month graduate trainee course, and was curious to find out more.

The course provided an overview of the logistics industry, with several placements provided in different areas of the business. As well as giving Neil a better understanding of the industry as a whole, the placements helped him to understand where his skills were best suited, and which career path he’d like to follow.

Neil found his home in Solutions Design, where he’s responsible for producing cost effective, practical and innovative solutions for current and future customers. To do his job well Neil needs to understand and analyse customers’ logistics requirements. He models alternative methods of operation and then presents back compelling proposals.

He considers attention to detail and logical thinking to be the most important attributes to have, but he’s in it for the variety:

“I’ve always enjoyed the variety of projects we get to work on in Solutions – no two customers have the same requirements or priorities. One day we can be presenting a solution to a CEO, the next day measuring the racking in a warehouse!”

Samuel got his first car when he was 15, and the process of fixing it up with his dad during the lockdown, led him to consider a career as a mechanic.

“I really got into, and when I left school, that was what I decided to do”

He came in to do an interview with Kinaxia, was offered the position, and the rest is history.

“On my first day the Managing Director gave me a full tour, walked me round the workshop and warehouses and talked me through everything. I love the people I work with and the whole working environment.”