Freight & Customs Apprentice
INDEPENDENT FREIGHT SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Nuneaton (CV11 6SD)
Closes in 11 days (Friday 31 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 16 October 2025
Contents
Summary
Gain hands-on experience across sea, air & road freight whilst learning to handle complex international shipments. We're a close-knit team offering premium customer service, and we need a driven individual ready to tackle any task. Benefit from regular in-house training and real responsibility from day one in our supportive, fast-paced environment.
- Wage
-
£19,000 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Quarterly Bonus Scheme based on company targets.
- Training course
- International freight forwarding specialist (level 3)
- Hours
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Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 3 November 2025
- Duration
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1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Managing live freight shipments– booking courier, road, sea, and air freight, tracking shipments, liaising with suppliers and customers, and ensuring tight deadlines are met
- Handling customs documentation– raising customs entries, organising special documentation, and ensuring all paperwork is completed accurately and on time
- Database and administration– updating our CRM system with quotes, jobs, and customer information, maintaining accurate files, answering phones, and providing general office support
- Continuous learning– receiving on-the-job training across all freight modes and participating in regular in-house training sessions to build your logistics expertise
- Driven and proactive– you're self-motivated, eager to learn, and willing to step into any task that needs doing
- Excellent communication– strong verbal and written skills for liaising with customers, suppliers, and team members
- Highly organised– able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, work to tight deadlines, and maintain accurate records in a fast-paced environment
- Team player with independence– comfortable collaborating closely with colleagues whilst also being able to work autonomously when required
- Attention to detail– accuracy is crucial when handling customs paperwork and freight documentation
- Adaptable and flexible– ready to handle the variety and pace of a small, busy operation where no two days are the same
Where you'll work
5-6 Alliance Close
Attleborough Fields Ind Estate
Nuneaton
CV11 6SD
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SEETEC BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY CENTRE LIMITED
Training course
International freight forwarding specialist (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Select freight forwarding services based on customer requirements, taking into account country specific factors, delivery times and modes.
- Use generic or bespoke ICT systems in order to enter and monitor data on importing or exporting goods.
- Book, plan and monitor international shipments, using manual or ICT systems, in accordance with the rules and regulations that apply to that area of the world and to the goods consigned.
- Prepare a customs declaration to a national standard, or give custom clearance instructions to a third party.
- Use data systems to submit the information required by customs authorities as part of the management of the international movement of goods.
- Produce freight costings and invoices in line with Incoterms, customer profile or sales contract.
- Identify and source data from customers, systems or colleagues.
- Identify and resolve problems in line with responsibilities.
- Create and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external customers.
- Adapt communication based on the situation and the audience.
- Identify problems outside of limits of responsibility and escalate within company policy.
- Communicate in writing, preparing communications on technical matters.
- Communicate with others verbally, including internal and external customers.
- Air. Use and adapt terminology appropriate to the air freight industry.
- Air. Select and use documentation appropriate to the air freight industry.
- Ocean. Use and adapt terminology appropriate to the ocean freight industry.
- Ocean. Select and use documentation appropriate to the ocean freight industry.
- Road. Use and adapt terminology appropriate to the road freight industry.
- Road. Select and use documentation appropriate to the road freight industry.
- Select freight forwarding services based on customer requirements, taking into account country specific factors, delivery times and modes.
- Use generic or bespoke ICT systems in order to enter and monitor data on importing or exporting goods.
- Book, plan and monitor international shipments, using manual or ICT systems, in accordance with the rules and regulations that apply to that area of the world and to the goods consigned.
- Prepare a customs declaration to a national standard, or give custom clearance instructions to a third party.
- Use data systems to submit the information required by customs authorities as part of the management of the international movement of goods.
- Produce freight costings and invoices in line with Incoterms, customer profile or sales contract.
- Identify and source data from customers, systems or colleagues.
- Identify and resolve problems in line with responsibilities.
- Create and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external customers.
- Adapt communication based on the situation and the audience.
- Identify problems outside of limits of responsibility and escalate within company policy.
- Communicate in writing, preparing communications on technical matters.
- Communicate with others verbally, including internal and external customers.
Training schedule
- On the job training delivered by the employer
- Apprentices without Level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end point assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeships English and mathematics minimum requirement is Entry Level 3
- Allocation of an apprenticeship delivery coach who will carry out regular training
- Assessment and support visits to ensure you acquire new learning, knowledge skills and behaviours in order to progress and develop
- Identify, track and support 6 hours off the job training activities
- Quarterly formal progress review meetings, identifying learning achievements and next steps
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Any x 2 (grade Minimum Grade C or 4)
- English (grade Minimum Grade C or 4)
- Maths (grade Minimum Grade C or 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Team working
About this employer
We’re a small freight forwarder with our own customs brokerage in-house. We handle all modes of freight, specialising in complex shipments and offering clients an enhanced level of customer service. Ensuring high levels of staff training and knowledge is a high priority for us so conduct regular in-house training sessions.
After this apprenticeship
- Promotion to International Freight Forwarder on completion of Apprenticeship, and pay increase above the national living wage
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SEETEC BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY CENTRE LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000346821.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Friday 31 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
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