The clearing and forwarding profession has acquired a training edge through a real-time, real-life simulation programme introduced to the Southern African market by Global Maritime Legal Solutions (GMLS).
The 12-month course, called ‘The Future Freight Forwarders’, is described by the consultancy’s Elwyn Pitt as a major improvement on old-fashioned tutoring towards a much more progressive and functionally applicable method of training."
“Historically, qualifications in freight forwarding and customs compliance were too theoretical, and industry wasn’t happy. Often it was found that learners couldn’t apply themselves because they didn’t know how to apply what they had learned.”
To close this gap, says Pitt, GMLS had to figure out how to properly prepare the new generation of clearing and forwarding agents for a cargo environment that is regularly bombarded by curve balls, to put it mildly.
“We have always had a simulation process, but it was based on Excel spreadsheets. Now, it’s all online and it mimics the workplace. By the time we’re done with learners, they’ve had the best introduction to what to expect and can actually apply what they have learned.”
He says the course, which, if needs be, can be squeezed into a shorter period, has the existing NQF Level 5 qualification for young cargo agents as a foundation, but has been adapted to be far more reflective of a logistics and supply chain industry where disruption has become the daily norm.
“The simulator creates an experience where they’re often required to conduct themselves according to what’s currently happening out there,” Pitt says.
Whether it was the box ship that rammed into a bridge at the Port of Baltimore earlier this year, or drought affecting sea trade through the Panama Canal, learners have to go the whole hog through end-to-end dot connecting.
“They will receive an instruction from a client via email for a quotation for a shipment, and are expected to do cost estimation if it includes all modes of transport – air, ocean or road freight. It includes warehousing and related elements, approval and the necessary paperwork (SAD 500 and Bill of Lading), framing an entry – the lot! All the way through until cargo is cleared by Customs and released to a client.”
Pitt emphasises that the real-time process of the course includes live monitoring in the background so errors are flagged wherever they occur.
“We often hear that young freight forwarders aren’t up to the task, because they can’t function in pressure-cooker situations. We want to dispel that notion by putting quality people into the market.”
Talking to Freight News soon after the first cohort of 16 people qualified from the local course, Pitt says the developers in Barcelona introduced the simulation to the market about five years ago and had had about 17 000 learners go through the programme.
