Moody Logistics has appointed the first young person to a new programme reviving apprenticeships in the transport and logistics industry.
Dean Dodds, 23, from Blyth, is being trained on an HGV Apprenticeship being run in partnership between the Cramlington firm, Gateshead College and Tyneside Training Services.
Dean’s appointment comes as Moody Logistics has once more been awarded Investors In People status. Originally recognised by IIP in 1997, the company remains the only transport company in its sector to receive such acknowledgement.
For more than a quarter of a century, HGV Apprenticeships have been rarely found in the transport and logistics industry, but family-owned Moody Logistics has created the opportunity to support young talent.
Dean, who has previously worked in small vans, delivering for a food retailer, will begin his training by learning about the warehousing side of the business and being taught how to conduct vehicle safety checks.
As he progresses, he will gain a full overview of the business and work his way through driver and operator training in a wide range of vehicle types, from forklift trucks to Class 1 HGVs.
Dean said: “When I was at school, I didn’t get told much about apprenticeships, so it wasn’t a route I followed when I was younger. My dad was a wagon driver, so even though I was working as a multi-drop delivery driver, when I saw the opportunity to apply for an apprenticeship with Moody Logistics I jumped at it.”
Moody Logistics, which has its headquarters on the Bolam Business Park, Cramlington, is looking to grow its 30-strong workforce and believes local young talent will be key to the business’ future.
Business Development Director Caroline Moody said: “We have made a conscious decision to look at ways of helping to develop young people to be a part of our workforce of the future. It can be very difficult to find good quality staff, so one way around this is to develop our own and Dean’s appointment marks an important stage in driving this process forwards.”