What is logistics? How does it fit in the sector, Supply Chain, Transport Logistics and Express. BIS, DfE IfA, like others outside the sector are confused with our terminology.

Supply chain is about purchase, Logistics is about transport, road, rail air and sea. Road is vehicles and storage, Express is about final mile, postcode sortation, mail and final mile delivery.

Mick Jackson from the Skills Council set three clear streams for logistics many years ago for the Sector Stairway, they remain clear today and well signposted. LGV for heavy Transport, Warehouse and Storage and thirdly, Mail, express and courier.

The Association of Education and Learning Providers, AELP, held their quarterly transport and logistics meeting in the City of London. Speakers included Highfield with a masterclass on the new heavy vehicle LGV licence delivery learning modules for the trailblazer. Carl Lomas spoke about Express trailblazers and AELP detailed routes for levy funding, employers and training providers.

Mathew Alvarez opened, explaining AELP standardised contracts for levy for both employers and providers. James Billingham sector chair covered hot topics. EQA costs, new levy allocations, market intelligence of workforce, approach to the new standards, who is delivering LGV? James talked about the group evolution to advise Inst for app on the sector standards.

Carl Lomas spoke in detail about both Express and the Express Trailblazer. He began with a few words on the survey, ‘What is logistics?’ to explain confusion in the sector on the definitions. The three streams of supply chain, transport logistics and express. Taylor Review and bias to aid funding for the self-employed in apprenticeships was detailed. Always the pineapple! For  a portrayal of the sector. A brief history of Express home delivery, the exploding numbers of workforce and next generation workforce need. The Express trailblazers, level two mapped for delivery, the units were explained.  Level 6 Degree apprentice with MCPC and FORS at the front, signposted for first delivery before the end of 2017 to aid large levy payers access to next generation management with levy funding.

Richard Weston at MANTRA spoke about the CILT Think Logistics programme, MANTRA becoming a key sponsor, working in schools and encouraging employer involvement to get the 'what is logistics ?' message out. Richard also talked about MANTRA facilitating 500 staff for the new Amazon depot at Warrington, he also detailed the vision of 50 new Think Logistics centres by 2018.

Highfield introduced themselves as the first end-point assessor approved end to end for the LGV Trailblazer.

We support 80% of the candidate journey with resources of learning, mapping and self assessment forms, we have an apprentice kit for LGV. A portfolio of work books and learning materials for the new standard. A paper based workshop followed to introduce training providers to the delivery kit. The admin is paper based, unit detail is listed by prefix of K for knowledge and S for skill. Pass and distinction was shown at the workshop.

Suzanne Shearer-Dixon for Highfield talked about the mismatch between the standard and the end-point assessment material at IFA. Phil Carlin for Highfield then talked money, £523 is the standard target for LGV end-point, English and Maths will be on top of this by unit. There are a number of price codes offering choice on routes such as re-sit numbers.