Heather Cosgrove began working as a customs clearance coordinator at Denholm Good Logistics in 2024, and has been completing IOEx’s Level 3 International Freight Forwarding Specialist apprenticeship to support her development in the role.
She credits the apprenticeship with helping her gain confidence in the role and build a professional skillset which will form a strong foundation for the rest of her career.
Why an apprenticeship?
Cosgrove describes the apprenticeship route as a great fit for her, because it marries practical experience with learning tailored to the workplace.
“I find learning hands-on is the best way,” she says. “Being directly in the role allows you to learn without even realising it!”
“I always felt like just learning in the classroom made it harder for information to stick, but working on an apprenticeship means you’re actively doing what you’re learning about.”
She adds that learning on the job is also “a win-win situation”.
“The experience of the role itself is beneficial but you’re also gaining a qualification”.
Freight forwarding
Cosgrove enrolled on the Chartered Institute’s Level 3: International Freight Forwarding Specialist apprenticeship, which teaches learners core freight forwarding competencies over the course of fifteen months, before they take their end point assessment.
The programme offers plenty of opportunity to shape material around the learner’s role. Firstly, through the choice of one of three specialised pathways – air freight, ocean freight and road freight – and secondly through tailoring the teaching of key competencies to the learner’s tasks and responsibilities.
Cosgrove says that this is one of the aspects she values most about the qualification:
"I like how personalised the way of learning can be, really meeting my needs.
“My training development coach gave me insight into things I was doing every day, as well as learning new things I had yet to hear of.”
This applied to competencies like ‘key documentation and terminology’, ‘customs regulations and procedures’, and ‘communication and stakeholder relationships’.
They all form part of her day-to-day role, which she describes as ultimately about “completing customs entries successfully and meeting customer needs”.
Skills development
Expanding on her role, Cosgrove says that being a customs clearance coordinator is fast-paced and varied, involving processing customs declarations that are submitted to the team via email, dashboard or portal, from the different clients that Denholm services.
As well as checking documentation before it’s submitted, she also tracks goods arrival dates and handles any delays that arise – liaising with internal departments and the client to resolve the issue.
Cosgrove credits her apprenticeship with developing the core workplace skills that she needs to be successful in the role: “It’s been beneficial with regard to basic skills, such as organisation, time management and mutual respect”.
She adds that being on the apprenticeship alongside the role “has helped me improve these skills further, as well as boosting my confidence”.
What could you gain?
The qualification has built a strong foundation for career progression.
Growing in confidence in her current role, Cosgrove believes that completing an apprenticeship – being able to demonstrate an understanding of customs theory and practice – unlocks “new opportunities”.
“Getting the knowledge you need, hand-in-hand with the experience of the role itself, career progression isn’t far to follow.”
Although she’s at the start of her career, Cosgrove says that everyone who’s committed to developing their skills should consider an apprenticeship.
“From the outside looking in it can seem intimidating, but once you’re settled into the role, having the support and guidance from the apprenticeship itself, you’ll find success in it.”
You can learn more about IOEx apprenticeship programmes here. This includes a Level 2: Supply Chain Warehouse Operative qualification, as well as Level 3: Team Leader and Level 5: Operations Manager qualifications for those further along in their careers.
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