When I am asked how I became involved in transport and logistics as a profession, I regularly give the short answer ‘it happened by accident’, however on greater reflection I see how my energetic personality was drawn to this very interesting, complex and a highly diverse sector.

My initial exposure to transport and logistics practices began by working for a wholesale grocery firm in Ireland as a trading assistant. The company’s centralised chilled and ambient distribution facilities had over 150 trucks and 300 trailers servicing 3000 nationwide retail stores. Over my tenure with this firm, I gained a very full understanding on the necessity to have exceptional planning processes in place to manage demand in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, having the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to market changes and improve core competencies when things go wrong.

The grocery sector has changed quite dramatically since the mid-1990s – information technology has greatly improved traceability and efficiency in the delivery of goods while also improving demand management practices throughout the supply chain.

I then moved into the pharmaceutical sector and my role as logistics specialist meant having sole management over export distribution of high value/low volume intermediary products. A key aspect of this role was managing 3PL relationships and internal warehousing processes.

Active pharmaceutical ingredients having various chemical compositions meant utilising effective multi-modal transportation for global supply. An in-depth understanding of documentation, labelling and regulatory requirements in this environment was critical to ensuring safe delivery of goods to worldwide customers.

In 2008, my career developed again and I was hired as distribution and production planner for a global electronics firm servicing the automotive sector. This role came during a very turbulent and challenging time, namely the global economic crisis. As the company moved away from buffer stocks to safety time, transportation modes moved from sea to air and required more timely and efficient communication.

I was given the opportunity to work in the Kingdom of Bahrain for a third level education institute in 2011. The role as logistics tutor has been a very fulfilling experience and today I am the Programme Manager for CILT activities within the college.

As a chartered member of CILT Ireland, I am not only a member of the institute but I also work closely with CILT education activities as part of my day to day responsibilities. Students aiming to be future logisticians will enter a very global sector and therefore institutes such as CILT are integral to building the educational foundation for their future success. This cannot be underestimated. Young professionals wanting to be part of global transport and logistics communities depend on the accessibility of reputable, global educational programmes.

I have been fortunate to have met members of CILT New Zealand and other CILT members that encourage important, thought provoking discussions and research in what will always be a changing and dynamic sector.