Transport and logistics : Typical employers

The main professional body for this diverse sector is The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) UK  but many other organisations and examining bodies are involved. More information about these sectors can be found on the websites of the two sector skills councils - GoSkills: The Sector Skills Council for Passenger Transport  and Skills for Logistics .

Big players

• Central and regional government and local authority schemes, for example: the Department for Transport, via the Civil Service Fast Stream; the Highways Agency; local authorities, including Transport for London; and the armed forces.
• Transport consultancies.
• Airport authorities. These employ graduate although they tend to have few specific graduate opportunities. BAA do not have a graduate scheme at present, but some individual airports such as Manchester Airport group do offer the schemes. 
• Network Rail.
• Passenger transport companies, e.g. Go-ahead and National Express, running buses, trains and occasionally airlines. Some airlines run technical/engineering graduate schemes.
• Third-party logistics (3PL), freight forwarders and shipping companies: e.g. Exel/DHL, TNT, Maersk and Allport Ltd.
• Supply chain logistics, including manufacturing and retail companies, which offer logistics graduate schemes, sometimes described as distribution or supply chain management.

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

SMEs are organisations with less than 250 employees and an annual turnover of no more than £26million. Working for a smaller company can be rewarding because you are more likely to forge a path for yourself within the company, although opportunities to try other departments may be limited.

SMEs are unlikely to use the testing and assessment techniques of larger companies, or follow lengthy recruitment procedures. SMEs are more likely to advertise their vacancies through the local press, university careers service bulletins, local graduate vacancy listings, jobcentres, and word of mouth, rather than rely on their reputation and a presence at graduate recruitment fairs.

Your university careers service should have listings of jobs with small firms. See also the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

SMEs are apparent in this sector from transport consultancies to freight forwarders and tend to be located around the UK.

Self-employment

With experience it is possible to become self employed as a consultant offering expertise across parts of this sector, including transport planning and passenger transport.

Find out more about self-employment.