Building a Career in Logistics with Acclaim

Matt Robinson22-year-old Matthew Robinson began his career with Acclaim 4 years ago, gaining his Class 2 HGV licence at the age of 18, quickly followed by his Class 1.  Since then, Matthew has become involved in various areas of the business and is currently working full time in Acclaim’s ETSF (ERTS) department, while also studying for the Palletways Management Course.

Find out about Matthew's career at Acclaim Logistics and how the Palletways Management Course is helping him achieve his goals....

 

What is your current role at Acclaim?

I work within the ETSF operation at Acclaim, managing the movement of import and export containers we’ve collected from Southampton Docks.

 

What does this involve?

I get involved with all areas of the ETSF operation here at Acclaim. We collect containers of freight from Southampton Port, offload and palletise the contents, and hold it in our secure warehousing while it clears Customs. Once clearance has been obtained, we can either arrange onward transport to the customer’s premises, or send the freight directly to its final destination via the Palletways network. We also provide a fully managed warehouse and despatch service for customers who don’t have their own storage space, receiving orders from the customer, picking/packing the required items and despatching them on their behalf, co-ordinating delivery to any location throughout the UK or Europe.

 

What other areas of the business have you been involved in?

As a Class 1 driver I travelled all over the country, completing multi-drop deliveries and collections in a range of vehicles, from double-decker artics to rigids and container lorries. I have also worked in Acclaim’s International department, organising parcel and pallet deliveries and collections throughout Europe and worldwide.

 

What made you enrol on the Palletways Management Course?

I have a lot of operational knowledge gained from hands-on work experience, but was conscious that, to develop my career, I need to learn and develop management skills.

 

How long is the course and when did you start?

The course takes 1 year to complete.  I started in January 2018.

 

What format does the course take?

I attend one lecture bi-monthly at the Palletways hub in Greenford and work with my chosen mentor at Acclaim to review each module and help me gain additional on-the-job experience, putting into practice the theory that the course teaches. At the start of each new module I do a presentation on the previous module, to demonstrate my understanding of how it applies to real life scenarios.

The management course concludes in December, where each candidate presents to the Palletways Board their proposals for how to save their respective businesses £25,000.

 

What has the course covered so far?

The first unit was about understanding management styles, and focused on identifying areas of weakness and how I can improve. The second unit relates to interpreting financial reports, and includes making sense of profit and loss statements and developing pricing strategies.

 

How has the Palletways management course helped you so far?

It’s really grown my confidence, especially in terms of public speaking and presenting.

 

Would you recommend the Palletways Management Course?

Yes, definitely. It’s tough, especially if you’re not the most confident individual, but I’m sure it will be worth the hard work and study.  I’ve already learnt so much from it, and going forward I think it will give me an edge when it comes to career progression.

 

What are your future career plans?

I really enjoy working in Acclaim’s ETSF department and hope to be instrumental in its growth. As the service grows and develops, more opportunities for progression will become available, and with the knowledge and experience that I will have gained from the Palletways Management Course, I’ll have the confidence to pursue these.