The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK’s (CILT(UK)) Next Generation Forum hosted its first ever conference aimed at early career professionals, apprentices and students at GXO East Midlands Gateway.

The event, named 'Fuelling Future Logistics', took place on 15 May, welcoming several guests alongside a variety of keynote speakers from corporations such as GXO, Amazon, DHL, Network Rail, The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and more.

'Fuelling the Future' couldn't have been a better theme to describe this event, as delegates were gifted with inspiring stories and professional advice from industry leaders.

The conference also offered speed networking sessions and a tour of GXO's facility, where delegates were able to see firsthand some of the interesting technology and automation tools being used in the sector today.

The conference opened with Faye Fricker, HR Director at GXO, who told the story of GXO's remarkable growth whilst emphasising the company's commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

In one of the day's most inspiring sessions, Amanda Barnes, VP of Talent Management and Development at DHL, delivered a powerful presentation on professional resilience.

Amanda described how she transformed educational setbacks and redundancy into catalysts for success, encouraging attendees to view failure not as a setback but as an opportunity for self-discovery and growth.

Concluding the first half of the conference was Eleanor Corish, Operations Manager at Amazon, who shared her compelling advice on what she labelled the '10 seconds of confidence rule'.

Eleanor shared her personal journey, revealing how she can sometimes be a frequent overthinker. She explained that allowing herself just 10 seconds to summon courage has repeatedly proven transformative, empowering her to overcome hesitation and take decisive action when facing challenging situations.

To finish the conference before delegates broke into speed networking groups, a panel session was hosted by joint Next Gen Forum Chair Hannah Kasongo, welcoming Georgie Newby from Network Rail, Zoe Lester from the MoD, Herman Maree from B2BWise and Krishna Patel from Sigma.

All shared how they had made great strides within their careers, offering advice and support as delegates asked them questions on what they could do when taking those next steps in their own career.

Next Gen Forum Chairs Rebecca Hawkins and Hannah Kasongo noted they are hopeful that this event is a first of many as they continue to attract new faces into the forum and support new talent entering the sector.

Hannah said: "Next Gen appeals to us for several reasons. Firstly, it helps build your network and provides valuable exposure to public speaking. Finally, it's about taking responsibility and making a difference as the forum continues to champion the next generation's voice, not only within CILT but across the wider industry."

Rebecca added: "When we were starting out in the industry there weren't many opportunities like this, and that's why this forum means so much to us. It's given us the platform to give back and to support emerging talent, sharing the insights and experiences we've gained along the way."

One of CILT(UK)'s 35 under 35 winners, Daniel Greaves, Graduate Trainee Manager at Wincanton, was in attendance and was asked how he found the event.

Daniel said: "I would recommend this event to individuals such as students, graduates and those on apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships, as it's been a very informative event and it's been great to connect with like-minded people in the sector."

Esther Oluwatuyi, Supply Chain Graduate at Wincanton, also said she would recommend the event and added: "It's been really good in terms of how relatable and informative it's been to hear about all the different career paths various speakers took and how they got to where they are today."

If you are interested in joining CILT(UK)’s Next Generation Forum please contact: volunteer@ciltuk.org.uk!