Meet the Women Leading the Way in Logistics

Industry Insights

3 Nov

How often have you heard a young girl say, “When I grow up, I want to work in logistics”?

For many, the answer is never, or very rarely.

Actually, through many conversations, it's clear that women of all ages tend to think that pursuing a career in this industry simply isn't an option for them.

And it's a reflection of an industry that has traditionally been seen through a male-dominated lens, with little talk of the women who have been integral to its growth and success.

Research shows that representation matters, when we see a person that looks like us or shares a similar background, we’re more likely to be able to identify with them and imagine ourselves in that position. They motivate us, give us someone to emulate, and teach us how to overcome obstacles.

But with little representation in the media of the women behind our industry, it's no wonder the cycle continues.

So we decided to do something about it. We spoke to some of the women who work in diverse roles across the supply chain and logistics industry, that can be open to anyone and everyone.

We wanted to demonstrate just how many different career paths that can be taken within the industry, so, let's meet some of the women who are truly succeeding:

What aspects of your current role do you most enjoy?

I like the variety of each day being different; going to new places is always a challenge. The freedom of being your own boss on the road.

Once your day is done, you finish. No after thoughts of have you done everything or what you need to do tomorrow like I found in Sales, I don’t think my brain ever switched off.

Looking back at your career, if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be, and how do you think it would have influenced your journey?

Have confidence in yourself, you will not always get it right but getting it wrong will also teach you a very valuable lesson…and you certainly won’t make the same mistake twice!

There were some opportunities I could have acted upon earlier if I’d just had the confidence to go for it, the caution at the time was understandable but looking back I could have taken advantage earlier.

Nikki is the Managing Director at Keep It Cool Ltd.

What motivated you to pursue a career in logistics?

When I started working in logistics it was more of a temporary thing whilst I figured out what I wanted to do (I had just dropped out of uni and needed a job and it fell into my lap).

I realised I really enjoyed it, the fact that every day was so different, I was constantly challenged with new problems and having to come up with a creative solution.

In your experience, what aspects of marketing in an industry like logistics have been the most rewarding and fulfilling?

In my experience, marketing in the logistics industry has been uniquely rewarding. It's a niche field that often doesn't receive the same level of attention as more mainstream industries.

When I tell people I work in logistics and supply chain marketing, their reactions are not usually as enthusiastic as with more well-known sectors.

However, I find it far from boring. It has given me the opportunity to learn about a new and specialised topic and marketing in this field has equipped me with skills that I don't think I would have gained in a more traditionally marketing focussed industry.

What advice would you give to other women who find themselves in situations where they are the sole female presence, whether it's in a meeting, on a project, in a team, or at a conference?

Make sure you make your voice heard. If you're the most suitable person in the room to lead a presentation or answer a question, make sure it's your voice.

Also, always make sure you give a confident personal introduction, tell the room who you are and what you do, so you know that they know exactly why you're sitting at that table.

Have you seen any positive shifts in attitudes or behaviours toward gender diversity and inclusion in recent years, and what factors do you think contributed to these changes?

The logistics industry is still a male dominated and ageing industry, but over the last 10 years of my career I've certainly seen a shift aimed at encouraging more gender diversity.

I've seen improvements in recruitment practices, where recruitment is taking place, and general communications around what the industry can offer in order to appeal to a wider candidate pool.

In a predominantly 24/7/365 environment, my early experience was that everyone had to work full-time (plus some!) or nothing.

I'm seeing far more flexibility in working patterns and part-time opportunities that may have been forced by changes in legislation, but has ultimately resulted in careers within the industry being more accessible to those needing to fit work around other priorities.