Without doubt the modern warehouse operation is increasingly automated, but it still depends on the skills of people, who are more often than not working alongside technology. Accordingly, the demands on today’s warehouse managers are more intense than ever.
Warehouses have become hubs of activity, where traditional manufacturing activities such as kit assembly have been pushed downstream, while personalisation, gift wrapping and more has headed upstream from shops to warehouses. Not only that, but warehouses have also become processing centres for returns, repairs and recycling, and of course, the historically core services of storage and distribution remain. There’s a lot to understand, manage and control efficiently, safely and cost-effectively.
The warehouse manager’s role has evolved from supervisor to strategic planner, with skills that span not only management of goods and people, but of complex IT systems. Their decisions impact not just on the warehouse operation itself, but the entire supply chain, making the role both indispensable and challenging.
Automation and the growing use of drones, robotics and AI technology, are supporting warehouse managers in driving efficiency, while data insights provide tools for real-time monitoring, instant response and forward planning. However, with these developments come new challenges.
In the context of enormous industry change, both the importance and the complexity of the role of Warehouse Manager has grown exponentially. This is why UKWA has established the industry’s first independently accredited Warehouse Manager CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence), to support the sector in attracting and retaining talented people, while equipping them with the latest knowledge, skills and behaviours required in a modern warehouse. The first ever cohort ran in January 2024 and was highly praised both by those individuals taking part and their companies.
Co-written and delivered by independent consultants, the Level 3 Warehouse Manager CPC course is accredited by CILT. It is a recognised qualification that supports employee development and is set to become an industry standard for the warehousing sector.
Taught as a two-week course, it includes in-person classroom tuition covering all aspects of warehousing, with candidates assessed by examination to ensure high standards are met. Future courses will include an online element, with an avatar and subtitles to cater for those whose first language may not be English.
In the modern warehouse, investing in people is as important as investing in technology. One cannot work at maximum efficiency without the other.
Formal training for employees to hone professional skills provides clear benefits both for the individual and the company, improving performance while fostering job satisfaction and workforce retention. It’s a win-win. Details of the next Warehouse Manager CPC course can be found at ukwa.org.uk
Clare Bottle
CEO, UKWA
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