Royal Mail is revamping the UK’s traditional red post boxes so they can accommodate parcels.
Up to 30 of the new boxes, which are cube-shaped, have already been trialled in and around Leicester and Northampton.
The aim is to help small businesses and online marketplace sellers to post small, prepaid parcels rather than having to regularly queue at the Post Office.
It’s the first time in 160 years the postbox has seen such a major change.
Royal Mail is now awaiting customer feedback on the trial. If the boxes are met with a positive reception, they could soon be rolled out nationwide, positioned alongside existing pillar boxes.
Of course, there are many different delivery companies vying for business, especially in the run-up to Christmas.
Most offer premium services to ensure products arrive more quickly – and this means detailed planning must go into guaranteeing on-time deliveries.
Thankfully, there is an army of professionals whose mission is to make sure festive joy arrives well ahead of the big day.
These are just a selection of some of the roles available that offer opportunities to deliver first-class careers.
Supply Chain Manager
Santa may have his elves to help him but keeping a steady flow of goods moving from the manufacturers to the warehouse and finally to customers – especially important at this time of year – is the job of the supply chain manager.
Having a background in transportation or logistics can help but there are also starting positions, such as a transport clerk.
This is a role for those with excellent organisational and negotiation skills, as well as a knack for problem solving.
A good grasp of geography also helps – especially when dealing with remote locations all across the UK – as do IT skills for tracking shipments.
Forklift Driver
For this role you’ll need the necessary certification and forklift licence. But, if you’re already working in a warehouse or factory, training can often be offered on the job.
This is physical work and requires great skill to enable goods to be moved quickly but also safely.
It’s a job for practical, organised types who can concentrate and manually handle products when necessary.
It’s not only factories that need drivers. You could be working at an airport or docks – anywhere cargo needs to be moved around.
Postal Delivery Worker
This can be full-time or seasonal work and is the powerhouse of Christmas deliveries, ensuring cards and presents get to the right people in one piece all over the world.
Even though there can be a lot of driving involved in the job, post is still delivered on foot and by hand, so being physically fit and happy to work in all weathers is a must.
Customer skills are important, too, particularly when filling out a card to say a delivery was attempted. The customer needs to see exactly what to do next.
Stock Control Assistant
This is a role for the type of person who likes to make lists and make sure everything is in its place, especially when receiving bulk deliveries.
As with most logistical jobs, IT skills will be required to check stock records – keeping these up to date and accurate is essential.
Good communication skills will also be important when sorting out any impending stock issues for customers.
Depending on where you work, there could be specialist knowledge required – such as when dealing with complex engineering components or electrical parts.
General warehousing might include shift work, which offers extra flexibility in your work-life balance.
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