Logistics is not only an interdisciplinary science with numerous degree courses, but also a flourishing branch of industry. It involves target-oriented planning, control and implementation in global goods transportation by truck, rail, ship or plane. Logistics companies are also concerned with optimizing the transport of goods, people and information.
The professional world of the logistics and transportation industry is therefore very diverse. In addition to various logistics degree courses, school leavers with a degree have a wide range of career opportunities. This guide to the variety of job profiles provides an overview of the new apprenticeships and degree courses available in the logistics sector.
LOGISTICS: AN INDUSTRY IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE
Recognizing future trends in good time and learning to master them is essential in the logistics industry. Which innovations will shape the future? Logistics experts around the world are grappling with this question and the most competent answers to it. New developments in the industry were already evident before the coronavirus pandemic.
A working group of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has derived relevant trends from this. The extent to which current crises will have a negative impact on these trends can only be predicted with restrictions.
Overall, the researchers have identified eight so-called megatrends from which significant changes in logistics can be derived. Interested parties should keep these key areas in mind:
- Digitization
- 3D printing technology
- Autonomous driving
- Robotics (robotics technology)
- Information society
- Diversification (or diversification)
- Servitization (business model innovation)
- Sustainability
The Fraunhofer researchers point out that these megatrends will have a future-changing impact. Others are likely to be added in the future and cause upheaval. Regular review is therefore advisable. If you want to master trends and seize opportunities, you should be aware of the following: The individual trends should not be viewed in isolation from one another, as there is a close connection between them.
The topics of digitalization and increasing service orientation are of particular importance. These two areas play an important role within all trends. According to experts, they can create the conditions for fundamental changes in the logistics market.
INFORMATION ON THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM IN LOGISTICS
In various contexts, there are calls to improve mobility and make it more sustainable. Logistics is precisely the specialist area that is looking for such solutions. The aim is to get people and goods from A to B efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way.
The specialization is based on several key areas, including the approach to how existing logistics management works and how it can be improved. Students also gain comprehensive knowledge of logistics services, industry and trade. Analytical concepts in the fields of business administration and empirical social research are also taught on the courses.
Overall, the Bachelor’s degree program in Logistics combines business administration content with specialist knowledge from technology, natural sciences and law. It is also dedicated to management know-how and examines intercultural issues. Practical projects, business games and internships in industry are also common. People with pedagogical ambitions can aspire to become teachers as part of the logistics course.
PROMISING PROFESSIONS IN LOGISTICS
In times of a shortage of skilled workers, one of the apprenticeships in the logistics sector is a good choice. This is enormously complex, which is also illustrated by the different focal points in the training occupations.
Put simply, logistics is all about smooth processes. Anyone interested in planning, coordinating and monitoring the execution of transportation could be suitable for one of the professions presented.
Warehouse logistics specialist (dual training)
Various qualities are required in this job. Anyone opting for this apprenticeship must be physically fit. He or she should have a talent for organization. Reliability is just as important as well-developed spatial awareness and coordination skills.
The “Warehouse logistics specialist” apprenticeship is open to people with a secondary school leaving certificate. Good grades in math, German and English increase the chances of getting an apprenticeship. Above all, however, it depends on your interest in the profession.
Companies in almost all sectors of the economy need warehouse logistics specialists. They are mainly employed in warehouses or outdoor storage areas. However, they also work in cold stores and offices. Their main tasks are the receipt and inspection of incoming goods as well as the proper storage of goods. They also carry out various internal transportation processes as well as picking and dispatching goods.
Management assistant for forwarding and logistics services (dual training)
The tasks in this profession include the control and monitoring of logistical sequences. Forwarding and logistics services clerks are entrusted with logistical solutions and work out optimal transportation routes, for example.
Planning is the central point in the area of responsibility of forwarding and logistics clerks. Especially in the field of e-commerce, fast solutions are the be-all and end-all. Determining favorable transport routes and calculating costs are part of everyday working life. In addition, hazardous transports, packaging and much more must be planned.
Those who aspire to this profession need to have a talent for organization, be orderly and precise. Good knowledge of English and another foreign language as well as mathematics is also desirable. Applicants should also have some negotiating skills. You must have a high school diploma, vocational diploma or intermediate school leaving certificate.
IT specialist specializing in digital networking (dual training)
Professionals specializing in digital networking represent the interface between the IT and production departments within a company. An IT specialist optimizes business processes and workflows in production technology.
If you are fascinated by programming languages and sequences of numbers, you can enter a profession with career opportunities as an IT specialist. IT skills are used to network systems and machines in order to speed up processes and optimize workflows.
Some qualities are essential for experts in the field of digital networking, such as flexibility and independence, diligence and analytical skills. With at least an intermediate school-leaving certificate and good grades in mathematics, there are good prospects for a dual apprenticeship as a computer scientist specializing in digital networking.
Dual study program Digital Logistics (B.Eng.)
Women and men with a high school diploma or university entrance qualification can become a Bachelor of Engineering. Further requirements for admission to the dual study program are good grades in mathematics, German and English. You should also have an interest in technology and computer science.
To be successful in this profession, applicants should be motivated, able to work under pressure and willing to perform. The ability to work independently and with commitment is also expected.
The dual study course “Digital Logistics” lasts seven semesters. It covers a wide range of content. Mathematics, computer science and statistics as well as external and intralogistics are taught. Transportation and forwarding law are also taught, as well as customs and foreign trade law. Students are also taught business subjects such as accounting and commercial law. Foreign languages and communication are also part of the curriculum.
In the last two semesters, there are six modules to choose from, from which students select four, such as transport logistics. The Bachelor’s thesis is also due in the seventh semester.
Warehouse specialist (dual training)
Warehouse specialists are employed in transport and logistics companies or industrial companies. Their work is similar to that of warehouse logistics specialists, but there are also some key differences between these two professions. Receiving, storing and shipping goods are the main focus of the job of a warehouse specialist.
Warehouse logistics specialists are also assigned organizational tasks. For example, they design transport routes for trucks or ships. They are often also involved in ordering goods or logistics management. Knowledge of customs goods and dangerous goods or perishable goods is used here.
There is a lot to learn before someone becomes a trained warehouse specialist. In this respect, it is advantageous to have skills such as speed and a sense of direction. In addition to physical and mental resilience, care and precision are expected.
Potential trainees can also score points with good spatial awareness and math skills. The prerequisite for dual training as a warehouse specialist is a secondary school leaving certificate or secondary school leaving certificate.
Dual study program Business Administration Logistics Management (B.Sc.)
Women and men can obtain a Bachelor of Science with a degree in Business Administration and Logistics Management. Their job is to ensure the smooth global flow of goods and to manage these processes in terms of efficiency and environmental sustainability.
In times of globalization, the world seems to be getting smaller. Business graduates are driving this development forward. After all, the aim is for consumers to be able to buy goods anytime and anywhere. Internet shopping is also reinforcing this trend.
People with a talent as team players complete their Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Logistics Management (B.Sc.). They are also confident in business negotiations in several languages and spreadsheets. A technical college entrance qualification is required for the three-year dual study program.
LOGISTICS IN GERMANY IN TRANSITION
German and international logistics companies are looking for young talent. The logistics industry, the third largest in Germany, is dependent on improved and more cost-effective work processes. The profound upheaval in the transport and logistics industry is being driven by climate change and digital transformation. The coronavirus pandemic has also left its mark. However, there are strategies for the future that can facilitate change.
The rapid pace of change makes it necessary for logistics to adapt. B2C and B2B marketing rely on transparency and depend on reliability and adaptable behavior. Proven supply chains are disappearing around the world, but are being rebuilt elsewhere. The resilience of the players is in high demand and is constantly being challenged.
Change can succeed with a fresh and excellently trained workforce. If you are about to choose a career, you should consider your personal opportunities in the logistics sector. Many of the jobs for graduates from different schools and universities are suitable as a start to a successful career.
If someone starts out as an employee in the logistics industry, they may have the incentive to found a start-up or take over a family business.
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