Also seen here on video – Henri Luwaert, business trainee at MSC Belgium, talks about why he got into logistics. In our Flows magazine on training and careers, we asked several starters why they started training or a career in logistics.
The participants in the testimonials included (working) students, recent graduates, trainees and a lateral starter. This produced very diverse stories and fun insights. And they all agreed on one thing: the logistics sector is a versatile and international environment where there are many opportunities for a wonderful future. This is also confirmed by Henri Luwaert, business trainee at MSC Belgium.
Why did you choose to train in logistics?
“In 2016 I started my studies in Commercial Sciences in Ghent, specialising in finance and risks. During that period, I had the opportunity to do some internships, such as at a company in Hong Kong that transported raw materials throughout Asia and later at Vopak, a company that also operates in Antwerp. It was there that my interest in boats was rekindled. After my master’s in Ghent, I opted for an additional year of Global Supply Chain Management at AMS in Antwerp.”
What are the strengths?
“The unique thing about a traineeship is that you can work in eight different departments in one year. At the moment, I have already completed two departments. The first was booking care, where requests for transport come in. My next stop is the customer care department, where we try to assist and guide customers as best we can with their bookings. Customer contact is a priority here and you learn to solve complicated cases like no other. The concept traineeship gives you the opportunity to gain a huge amount of experience in the short term. After a year, you then land on your landing spot, which for me will be at Business Support & Development.”
What challenges do you face?
“Not one day is the same in supply chain, something happens every day. One day it’s a factory having a breakdown, the next day the outbreak of a global virus. Something new happens every day that needs to be arranged or adjusted, which I find very challenging. Logistics also has a big impact worldwide: today we think it’s normal to have products arriving at our homes from all corners of the world, but of course they don’t just get there.”
Which direction do you want to go in?
“Personally, I am very interested in working in a project-oriented way, especially in terms of modernisation and updating. I like introducing new projects, for example in data quality or sustainability. I would like to work project-oriented in the shipping industry.”
Do you have another personal message?
“I can only encourage people to take a turn in the logistics direction: there is work for everyone and once you are bitten, you are off.”
