The TRS Transport and Warehouse Operations Supervisor (TWOs) apprenticeship is fast becoming an employer favourite for upskilling staff to step into supervisory roles. John Lewis plc is one of the organisations turbo-charging its skills development using the TWOS apprenticeship with TRS.
31-year-old Adrian Diemer, Partner and Transport Section Manager at John Lewis’s Milton Keynes depot, is a recent graduate of this flexible logistics training programme. Completing the apprenticeship has equipped him with a comprehensive portfolio of supervisory skills and knowledge essential for his job role.
Building team trust
As part of the course, Adrian also gained his Transport Manager CPC qualification, enabling him to manage a fleet of haulage vehicles. He shares his experiences:
“The CPC is vital in my role but I learnt the most by implementing specific projects and seeing them through. For example, I undertook a communications project which meant having a one-to-one conversation with each team member. As a new, young transport section manager, it was an ideal opportunity to build trust and respect with them.
“John Lewis and TRS supported me throughout the training. The Transport Manager CPC has given me a thorough understanding of legal, compliance and other industry matters and I use this knowledge daily.
“Furthermore, I was coached on staff performance, enabling me to develop KPIs for my team members and providing a clear structure for their reviews. My process has now been shared with other managers to replicate.”
Training experience
Adrian goes on to share his positive experience of training and support from TRS:
“My trainer, Rob was good at communicating, and very enthusiastic and positive. Rachel at TRS helped me complete a mock test before my final assessment. I want to continue my progression on to the department manager position. Having the apprenticeship has given me an advantage for promotions.”
TRS has been delivering the TWOS apprenticeship for well over a year. The training programme is individually tailored to meet the needs and objectives of the organisation and the schedule and learning styles of the staff members undertaking it. Participants work through the programme by attending flexible online sessions, completing on-the-job training and workplace projects, and through one-to-one tutorials and support sessions.
Apprenticeship builds multiple leadership skills
This apprenticeship isn’t merely a string of learning sessions ending in an assessment—it’s a custom-fit development journey equipping supervisory staff like Adrian with an effective blend of multi-skilled expertise in areas such as:
- Customer connection: Mastery in delivering high customer service to ensure unwavering satisfaction and solid client trust.
- Staff synergy: Learning how to shape and drive team dynamics and maintain motivated staff, propelling a workforce to achieve peak performance.
- Tech advantage: Building IT adeptness to steer productivity into high gear
- Compliance savvy: Knowledge acquisition which encompasses environmental and safety standards, and procedure-precise vehicle and licence legislation.
- Operational acumen: Supply chain operations are continually assessed and optimised, maintaining successful flow.
The Employer’s Voice
Tanith Dolan, Partner & Operational Training Manager at John Lewis plc says:
“This apprenticeship provides us with a framework for empowering our managers with the essential skills needed to lead our transport and warehouse operations effectively. TRS has worked with us to develop a tailored programme that reflects our organisational training objectives and is delivered flexibly to fit in with our operational schedules. We are already seeing positive results and recently celebrated our first members of staff successfully completing their course.”
