Internet shopping is at an all-time high with shoppers in the UK embracing online buying with more enthusiasm than any other western nation.
In February 2018 more than 16% of all retail sales were made online that is 1 in every 5 sales being made on a phone, tablet or computer.
This increase in online shopping has led to huge demand for warehouse space by retailers over the past 10 years. Retail fulfilment now accounts for 60% of all warehousing space in the UK.
The East Midlands is one region making the most of this demand, thanks to the location, goods that are shipping from the East Midlands can reach more than 90% of the population of England and Wales in just four hours making this area extremely attractive for retailers seeking fulfilment space.
Some of the biggest names in retail have already claimed their space; Marks and Spencer have a £200m fulfilment centre at Castle Donnington while Disney, Asda and Tesco all also lay claim to some of the biggest warehouse spaces in Lutterworth and Daventry.
Let’s not forget to mention the huge DHL Express operation in Derby that employs over 900 night staff to cope with the 190,000 packages that need to be processed each evening.
What does this mean for you?
This un-precedented boom in warehouse opportunities is a welcome relief as we start to notice the decline in the availability of high street stores and jobs. Warehousing now provides more jobs in a concentrated area then high street stores ever have, opening up opportunities for job seekers and career ladder climbers throughout the UK.
How can you make the most of this?
We know that when it comes to maximising your opportunities and building a career in the supply and logistics industry, experience is everything and what better way to bolster your CV then by opting for a strategic move to a fulfilment centre that can provide new challenges and additional work experience.
Finding out that a development is underway near you could be the push you need to expand your horizons and make a move to a warehouse employer who is not only paying more but who can also provide a different insight into the industry or allow you to develop an additional skill set. For example, does your current position focus mainly on ambient stock? If so, then moving to a warehouse that utilises temperature controlled environments could provide a great opportunity to build on your knowledge and experience.
Staying ahead of changes in your industry and getting an early insight into some of the big opportunities coming to an area near you gives you the chance to get an early application in ahead of other candidates and provides you with the ability to take control of your career and steer it in the direction of your choice.
While you are waiting for the next big opportunity near you to be announced you don’t have to be idle.
Make sure you are ready to leap into action right away by working on these 6 things:
- Follow emerging stories on websites such as www.ukwa.org.uk and www.warehousenews.com to keep you up to date with industry changes and new developments that may be happening such as the giant industrial complex coming to Leicestershire that will house Amazon, Shop Direct, XPO Logistics and Nestle` creating more than 7,000 new jobs in April this year.
- Visit the career pages of the companies set to take on the warehousing space and watch out for the career opportunities being released so you can be one of the first to get an application in. You can also search for the most recent warehouse roles available at Blue Arrow here.
- Compile a list of transferrable skills that you have gained throughout your working life such as, communication, team work, self motivation, leadership, machine handling, and industry knowledge plus dig out evidence of any licenses or certificates that you have gained.
- Use these skills as keywords when you are updating your CV to reflect your work experience and most recent accomplishments. Find out how to write the best CV here.
- Work on your personal statement to affirm who you strive to be, to detail what you would like to achieve, or perhaps even what you have learned from your past endeavours and how you will use it to inform your future. Find out more about making a personal statement unique here.
- Consider applying for a higher position. Take a look at the other roles that are available in a warehouse and find out if you have what it takes to take a step up.
